


Magic Can't Cook

by Naatta



Category: Aladdin - All Media Types, Aladdin: The Animated Series
Genre: Attempted Murder, F/M, Master & Servant, Memory Loss, Mozenrath is still an ass, Mozenrath/OC - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), Red String of Fate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2018-09-30 14:07:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 43
Words: 82,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10164617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naatta/pseuds/Naatta
Summary: Powerful magic can only do powerful things. Simple things, like cooking and cleaning must unfortunately be done manually. So what's a starving dark sorcerer to do? MozenrathxOC Mozenrath is copyrighted to Disney, not me. Rated for later chapters, etc.**I have this on fanfiction.net as well, I'm posting it here both to do some minor editing and/or add some more "vivid" scenes to later chapters, hence the higher rating. The story is COMPLETE on that website, but since I'm editing and tweaking it on this website, I'll be posting it chapter by chapter.





	1. Burnt and Starving

Chapter 1: Burnt and Starving

Another dinner, ruined.

"What's the point?" He grumbled, staring at the burnt green goop that was supposed to be eggs in front of him. "I have practically limitless power and I can't even scramble an egg!"

"No scramble." His slipper flying friend stated. "No good."

Mozenrath grabbed the eel out of the air and squeezed. "Thank you for your input Xerxes. It's great for stating the obvious."

The eel gasped and squirmed for breath. "Sorry master."

He grabbed the eel's tail, pulled back and sent it flying like a rubber band across the room and into the wall with a satisfying SPLAT. "I feel better now."

Mozenrath stood from his dreaded dish and wave his hand over it; making is disappear to places unknown. Leaving the dinner hall he headed to his lab to take his mind off his empty stomach which growled loudly at him. "Xerxes, come."

His slimy companion peeled himself off the wall and followed his master through the halls. "Master's tummy is loud today."

The young man turned and glared at his minion, raising a finger warningly at it. "What did I tell you about stating the obvious?"

"Sorry master. Xerxes hungry too."

"Ha! Like I care how you feel." The young man snarked. Motion caught his eye and he turned to see two mamluks headed towards the front door. "Where are you two going?"

"Uh." The grunted in unison, their green faces as expressionless as ever, pointing towards the front door.

Mozenrath smiled wickedly. "It seems we have an intruder, Xerxes. Shall we find out who's come to visit?"

Xerxes let out a hiss-like laugh. "Yes master."

The mamluks moved ahead of them and started to pull the massive door open. Out on the steps was a figure, lying face down and motionless. One pale arm stuck out from the mass of sand and covered brownish hair, the body was covered in a mud-red robe and dirty encrusted feet.

Mozenrath's shadow cast itself over the body as he loomed over it, moving down a step to look at it better; dark curls of hair falling around his face where they escaped his turban's hold on them. "This isn't an intruder." He nudged the body with his dark boot and rolled it over, a face becoming visible in the mass of tangled hair. Pale skin patched through muddy, sand coated splotches; the eyes were closed but the round mounds of her breasts moved, still intaking breath. "A woman."

Xerxes slithered over her body, looking up at his master. "Still alive. What to do master?"

Mozenrath smiled wickedly, his dark eyes glimmering with his usual mischief. "The dungeons are full of junk so put her in the back storage room for now." He turned and headed back inside. "Xerxes," He called, waiting for his slithering minion to come to him. "Inform me when she wakes. I want to talk to her."

"Yes master." The eel nodded and went back to the mamluks who were picking her up and carrying her into the palace. "Hurry up! Work faster!"

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Honey brown eyes opened to a great view of a ceiling, high up and made of dark sandstone. Her fingers traced underneath her and felt nothing but a grungy old rug. Shifting her gaze to the right she saw boxes: some open, some closed, along with various rugs, tapestries, papers, crates, books and general stuff piled higher and deeper. A storage room she gathered. A door sat on the other side of the room seemed to be the only visible entry or exit. And it was closed.

She sat up and immediately regretted it. Her head was throbbing, her body ached, her mouth was dry and tasted of sand and her stomach growled with a nasty vengeance. But she was alive, which made the whole situation a million times better. With a touch to her head she winced, a large gash and bump present on the side of her head just past her hair line. When she tried to run her fingers through her massive of tangles they stuck, making her wince as the yank of knots made her head hurt all the more.

There was movement out of the corner of her eyes. She gasped at the sight of a slimy grayish brown, eel-like creature was curled up on a nearby box, twitching and muttering in its sleep. Shakily she scooted away from it, bumping into a pile of boxes which instantly started to jolt and fall. She grabbed for it, but her stiff body couldn't catch and support the whole weight. The whole tower came crashing down into a splintering pile of wood, straw, and pottery.

The eel woke with a start, scrambling into the air, frantic faced. It took one look at her, she look at it and each screamed in surprise. It started yelling, "Master! MASTER!! Girl is awake! GIRL IS AWAKE!!!!" Flying up and through a high window it disappeared it voice growing fainter sounding as it left.

Panic set in. If that was some sort of lackey or sentential, why the hell did the 'master' look like? What if he wasn't a nice guy? Anyone with a creature like that as a minion can't be good right? She leaned forward and tried to stand, but her achy legs wobbled and buckled underneath her, leaving her tumbling to her hands and knees. Trying again she ended up tripping herself and falling forward onto her face.

"Having trouble?" A voice asked in front of her.

She looked up to see a pair of black boots in the doorway, traveling up the figure and found a man standing just inside it, leaning against the entry, arms crossed over his chest smiling wickedly down at her. He had dark eyes which flickered with cruel intentions and even darker hair that curled around his ears and the back of his neck, the rest of it was hidden, stuffed up underneath a dark blue turban which matched his robes. She could see a patch of brown leather, a glove, peaking out on his right hand from where his arms crossed, but oddly enough his left was bare.

"M-my legs don't seem to want to work quite right yet." She said simply. She met his eyes and instantly regretted it, the look in them reminded her too much of a cat's with a mouse. "W-who are you?"

"I am Mozenrath, ruler of the land of black sand which you are trespassing. And you are?"

She opened her mouth to answer but her brain drew a blank. Blinking she tried to remember, tried to think back, but all there was an empty blackness. "I am...uh..." She tried to think of a name, any name, hers or otherwise. Who she was, where she came from, but still, nothing came to mind. "I don't know."

His face turned angry and she shrunk into the rug behind her. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I can't remember it." She said honestly. "The last thing I remember was a sandstorm, a rock struck me on the side of the head, then spotting the black city. Everything else is blank."

In two quick paces he reached her, grabbing her by the chin and turning her head, pushing back her mass of tangles to spy the amassing bruise. He made a face of disgust and let her loose, glaring down at her. "Well, if you can't remember anything I guess there's no reason for me to interrogate you. Unfortunately for you that also means there's no reason I should keep you alive either."

"Wait!" She squeaked, panicked. "That's not true! I-I owe you my life, surely there's something I can do for you?!"

"Oh really?" He smiled wickedly, which made her very nervous. "How do you figure that?"

"I...um...I can work for you, if you want." She said, fidgeting her hands, rambling whatever ideas popped into her head. "I can clean you palace, wash your clothes, feed you eel or whatever that thing is..."

The last bit seemed to catch his attention. "Can you cook?"

She thought about it for a second. Did she know how to cook? Her gut said yes but her brain was still fuzzy. "I can try."

"Fine." He reached down and grabbed her arm, yanking her awkwardly to her feet and forcing her to move with him out of the room and down a short hall to a larger space, a kitchen, complete with stone oven, various cabinets some open, some not, and a long counter with a few stools on one side. He loosed his grip on her arm with a mild shove forward, letting her catch herself on the counter's edge for balance. "Cook something."

Her eyes widened and she looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "What?"

"Now, cook anything, just make something!" He sounded almost desperate.

"But I don't..."

"NOW!" He cut her off, sitting down on one of the stools at the end of the counter and slamming his gloved fist down so hard the utensils rattled, glaring holes in her.

Awkwardly she started opening various cabinets, stumbling and scrounging around, finding a good sized pan. She put it on the counter and looked at him. "Where do you keep all the food?"

"Door around the corner." He snapped, pointing to the left. He watched her disappear for a second or two before coming back with an armful of vegetables and a small bag of rice. He watched her start a fire in the alcove under the stove pit, putting the pot she'd found and filled with water over it to boil the rice and making quick work of cutting up vegetables with a random knife she'd discovered in a drawer. He watched her fingers move with surprising efficiency as she maneuvered through cutting up a slab of meat, her own gaze varying from focused to confused at her own practiced knowledge. Every minute that passed the room seemed to fill with more and more delicious smells to the point he was practically drooling. He evaluated her work as she maneuvered, still wobbling a bit on the occasional bad step, seemingly now oblivious on how she looked like she'd been in a mud wrestling match with a pig and lost. Hoisting a chunk of stuck-together hair over her ear as she placed a dish of meat, vegetables and rice in front of her they both stared at the dish for a moment. He looked at her, a narrow gaze, trying to determine if perhaps she'd poisoned it in some fashion. To his surprise she smiled at him, offering him a spoon. "I'll taste it for you if you're not sure, but either way I'd blow on it first, it's still hot."

He snatched to offered utensil and scooped up a bite, ignoring the burning heat as he took in a spoonful and froze. A shot of panic filled her stomach before he started to attack the dish like a starved beast, shoveling food in his mouth and scarfing down the rest. He finished the plate in record time, demanding seconds, and then thirds. It wasn't until his fourth helping that he put down his spoon and pushed the plate away. Silently she took the dish from him and licked her dry lips, steadying herself. "So can I stay?"

Can she STAY?! That was the best meal he'd had in ages and she was worried he was still gonna kick her out? The young man had to contain his inner laughter and instead opted for a cool and collected demeanor, that usual wicked grin returning as he stood from his seat. "The food was tolerable enough. However, if you don't follow my orders and do everything I command you to I WILL feed you to my man eating plants. And believe me, that's a KIND death."

Her smile widened a bit with hope. "Is that a yes?"

He looked at her, wrinkling his nose so he appeared to be so he appeared to be looking down at her and nodded. "You sleep in the back storage room. I want my breakfast an hour after sun up , lunch at noon, and dinner at sundown. When you're not cooking, you're cleaning and any other odd jobs I tell you to do. You will not receive any kind of payment except that you get to live another day, got it?"

She nodded. "Yes Master Mozenrath."

He grimaced inwardly. "Just Mozenrath will do. Otherwise you sound like that whiny eel."

"Then you can call me Rena." She smiled. "I thought of it while I was cutting vegetables. It sounded familiar so I guess that's what my name is."

Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "I don't care."

Xerxes came in then, slipping through the air like some flying snake. "FOOD!" He exclaimed and collided with the unfinished plate of food, devouring the leftover morsels similar to what his master had done so much Rena nearly dropped the plate from her arms.

The young man simply ignored the scene and raised his right hand, the glove glowing slightly before he vanished from sight, leaving the woman alone with his starving minion, secretly looking forward to more delicious dinners.


	2. A Sorcerer's home shouldn't sparkle

Chapter 2: A Sorcerer's home shouldn't sparkle

~_~_~_~_~_~

This woman was a menace. He couldn't find anything! She'd moved everything in his laboratory and cleaned every square inch of the place.

"Rena!" He roared. "Where in the seven deserts did you put my beakers?!"

"On the top shelf of the far right cabinet." She yelled back from where ever she was down a nearby corridor.

In the two weeks that she'd been here she'd cleaned the whole God damned citadel. At first he'd been surprised when he'd come down to the main hall and found that he could see himself in the floor, but now it was just down right annoying. Everything sparkled and he hated it. A dark sorcerer's home shouldn't sparkle. It's not natural.

Every day he asked himself why he kept her around and every time he came down to the dining hall to find a fantastic feast waiting for him he remembered. What is it with women and their ability to infuriate the hell out of a man one minute and make them forget why they're infuriated the next?

Pulling a beaker from the shelf he grumbled about stupid servant girls when the complaint in person walked in the room. "Are you still mad at me for cleaning this place up?"

He glared razorblades at her. "What do you think?"

Rena held back a smile until he turned back to his work, putting her hands on her hips. "I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

"Your solemn words that you will NEVER attempt to clean, no, ENTER this room unless you have MY permission, would be a good start."

She sighed. "I give you my word that I'll stay out of your lab."

He felt a 'but' coming on.

"But it's just so FILTHY." She whined.

"No 'buts'." He snapped, focusing on a mixture in his beaker. "No permission, no entry, got it?"

She rolled her eyes at his back. "Yes Mozenrath." She looked around the room a moment and asked. "Where's Xerxes?"

"Why should I tell you?" He said hotly, finally turning around to look at her. "It's of no concern of yours where I send my servants."

She crossed her arms, a dusting rag still in her hand and let out a soft sigh, which made his eye twitch. She was ALWAYS sighing. "I just wanted to know if he was going to be back in time for dinner, that's all." She glared at him. "No need to get testy."

"He's on an errand." The youth said flatly as he turned away and muttered under his breath as he rummaged through a cabinet. "I sent him to get more wolf's bane since YOU moved mine and now I can't find it."

"Second cabinet on the left, third jar from the right on the first shelf." She said simply, point with a finger. "Next to the worm's wood."

He paused, mid-rummage and looked back at her, quirking a dark eyebrow at her. "How do you know what wolf's bane looks like?"

Rena seemed to think about it for a second, then simply shrugged. "I don't know. I just looked at it and knew it was wolf's bane. I guess I've used it before." She smiled at him which made his eye twitch again. She was always doing THAT too.

He grunted and turned back to his work. "The sooner you remember yourself the better. That way I can send you to wherever the hell you were headed in the first place and be rid of you."

"But I'm starting to like this place." She said honestly. "Besides, who would cook and clean for you if I left?"

"I could pay someone." He lied. "And you won't find is such a nice place to live when I feed you to my man-eating plants."

She ignored his last sentence and looked at his back. His hair was loose today. She'd noticed that when he was working in his lab he usually didn't wear his turban, cape, or usual dark robes. When she'd asked why he'd said they 'got in the way' so for the most part he spent most of his time in an old leather apron over a loose, short sleeve tunic and worn brown pants with a few patches here and there that covered tears and burnt spots as she'd learned from having to mend several odd pairs. He'd also occasionally wear a leather glove on his left had to match the gauntlet on his right depending on what he was working with, even goggles should the occasion call for it, but one thing she couldn't get an explanation on was the bandage wrappings on his right arm. They covered the whole appendage, all the way to his neck and disappearing into his glove but when she asked, he'd refused answer, just glared and said it was none of her business.

"What do you want Rena?" He grumped, making her jump and loose her train of thought, still focused on his work.

"Oh! Well, I was wondering. If I wanted to buy something, where would I go?" She asked.

"To the marketplace, obviously." He said flatly.

"Yes, but there isn't a marketplace here, all the houses in this city are empty."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" He turned and demanded hotly. "Can't you see I'm busy right now? Taking over the world can be very time consuming and this is delicate work!"

Rena wrung her hands together, something he noticed she was in the habit of doing when she was nervous. "I was wondering if you could make me a transportation spell so I could go to one of the more populated cities to see their marketplaces."

He looked at her, almost stunned that she would ask something like this of him. "You want me to stop what I'm working on, to waste MY precious time on a stupid transportation spell so YOU can go shopping?"

Honestly she'd been refraining from asking him this very question for about a week in fear of this very outburst, but as it was she really didn't have a choice. Her clothes were in rages by now and she'd been wearing the same dress every day since she'd arrived. Finally she couldn't help it and let out a nervous laugh, giving him a slight smile. "That about sums it up, yeah."

Rena couldn't help but smile at his expression, especially with those bulgy goggles even though he was glaring at her through them. "Oh come on, it beats me having to take the long way around by horse or camel. I'd be gone for days, leaving you and Xerxes here to fend for yourselves for meals. Mozenrath, please. I promise to make it quick."

The threat of no dinner got his attention. While the black sands were great for privacy, trade was sparse and meant he usually had to send Xerxes for special supplies or go himself. If he DID make her a transportation spell if would make getting certain supplies much easier indeed. "What do you need to get exactly?"

To his surprise she blushed a little. "Fabric mostly, and some spices. In case you haven't noticed this dress is all I have and it's about run its course, so I'd like to replace it as soon as possible."

He looked at her clothes, something he didn't usually bother with and seemed to finally notice just how thin they were getting. They hung to her body like a second skin and some places the term 'threadbare' was an understatement as pale flesh peaked out at him. He let his eyes trail up to her face and her hair. After she'd managed to wash all the mud and sand out of it her hair had seemed to turn a few shades darker to an almost dark copper color in certain lights. Their eyes met for a brief second and he said flatly. "Fine, I'll make the stupid spell. It'll be ready in a week, but it'll cost you."

She was almost afraid to ask. "Cost me what?"

He thought about for a moment, taping his gloved finger to his chin. "Hmmm, I don't know about that just yet, but I'll think about some odd job I don't want to do myself and make you do it, so keep on your toes."

Rena smiled at him despite the mild threat. "Thank you Mozenrath."

He flinched at the thank you. She'd been saying that since she'd got here and it still bugged him. He was used to people groveling and begging for mercy, not 'thank you's'. She left and he spent the rest of the day grumbling about stupid women and their clothes all the way up till dinner where she'd put out yet another fabulous meal that left him forgetful about why he was so angry with her. And all was forgiven.


	3. Happy curtains and a stupid pincushion

Chapter 3: Happy Curtains and a Stupid Pincushion

"RENA!" His voice echoed through the empty halls.

The woman in question appeared a few minutes later, wringing off her wet hands on a tan canvas apron tied around her waist. "What? What's wrong?" She asked concernedly. Following his gaze she looked up and visibly relaxed once she spotted what he was staring at. "Oh, you finally noticed?"

"What did you do?!" He was infuriated. How dare she do this to HIS palace. He jabbed his finer towards it, his hand shaking with fury. "Why did you do...THIS?!"

"Cause it was needed." She said simply looking up at it and smiling. "See, it looks much better now. Happier even."

"I'm a DARK sorcerer. My palace isn't SUPPOSED to look happy!" He bellowed.

She glared at him, hands on her hips. "They're just curtains, Mozenrath, jeez. Besides they've been up there for two weeks. TWO WEEKS! I thought you'd notice them sooner."

His eye twitched. "Take. Them. Down."

She sighed and looked at the dark burgundy fabric that hung over a large window, then at him, giving him the most pitiful face she knew how, "But Mozenrath..."

His eye twitched again, shaking his fists at his sides, so filled with fury his voice went soft. "Now..."

She gave an exasperated sigh and moved over to the window, pulling over a chair and climbing up to take them down. When the curtains were safely off the wall and in her arms she gave him a look. "Happy now?"

He met her look with his own, smiling just a fraction when she turned away first. "Yes. I do like getting my way."

Rena stepped down out of the chair, curtains and curtain rod in her arms, grumbling to herself under her breath. "Like I care..."

"What was that?"

"I said 'that's fair'. It's YOUR palace after all and I'm just a poor, pitiful servant here. I shouldn't make decisions without your permission." She made sure to give him her best, albeit fake, smile.

He looker her face over. "See that you don't. And make sure THOSE don't go back up there!"

With a huff he turned on heel and stalked off to be evil elsewhere, leaving Rena alone in the hall.

She watched him leave and looked down at the curtains in her hand, then back up to the window, a small smile on her lips. "He said I couldn't hang them HERE, he didn't say I couldn't hang them somewhere else..."

~_~_~_~_~_~

"XERXES!!" He beckoned, the slithering eel swimming in the air to his master's side.

"Yes master." The beast cooed, happy to be summoned.

"Why does that mamluk have a pincushion on his wrist?" He asked, shoving a thumb at the mamluk meandering past the laboratory door.

"No clue master. No clue."

They both watched the mamluk disappear down the hall and a thought struck him, the youth narrowing his eyes. "Rena."

With a wave of his gauntlet the world shifted, rearranging itself into the storage room where Rena slept. He found her standing on a chair surrounded by several mamluks, some holding cloth, other scissors or various paraphernalia, pinning herself into some basic tan fabric. A long section from her right armpit, down the side of her body to the chair was slightly open, held by pins and bearing creamy skin to the world.

"That explains the pincushion." He smiled smugly at the nice view, her eyes darting to him like a prey caught in light by a hunter when he spoke. He was not much expectant for her to start screaming and something hit him upside the head.

"GET OUT!!!!" She screamed grabbing the fabric together and trying to get off the chair. As she turned her foot caught in the fabric making her stumble and pins begin to tear and lose their grip. She fell forward, directly towards him and for some strange reason he reacted, catching her but with force enough for her head to hit his chest hard enough to knock the wind out of him. What was left of the garment fell about her, what wasn't already stitched collapsing around her body showing more skin. The brunette shoved away from him, clutching the fabric of her breasts and the rest of her very naked body and shoved him out the door, slamming it in his face.

He stared at the door for a second, hunched slightly and trying to catch his breath.

Everything was silent for a few seconds before the screaming started up again, the door cracked open enough for Xerxes to go flying out and hit the wall on the other side of the hall. Mamluks even came out running and grunting, their zombie limbs raised over their heads to protect them from the objects being flung at them, yelling from a very pissed off and embarrassed woman still going on.

The door slammed shut again, the yelling turning into loud grumbles followed by the rustling of boxes and more grumbling.

"Rena mad." Xerxes muttered, peeling himself off the wall and crashing to the floor. "That not good."

"Shut up Xerxes." His master snapped, glaring down at his minion while he straightened himself up, finally getting his chest to inhale and exhale properly. He should have been the one mad for her using his minions for her own gain, should have banged on the door till she opened it and demanded her cower in front of him. But the pain of her head and the warmth of her figure as she's fallen against him still had his body tingling.

Brushing off his clothes he turned and moved down the hall, away from the grumbling door. Xerxes did the same, attempting to slink away before she started up again.

The door creaked open and Rena's head appeared, still furious.

Too late.

"Mozenrath!" She yelled after him, making him stop in his tracks and rather slowly turn to face her glaring eyes. "The next time you intend to pay me a visit could you try to phase in on the OTHER side of the door and knock!" She growled through her teeth, disappearing into the room and slamming the door before he could respond.

Wait a minute. How the hell was this HIS fault? She was the one using his mamluks for her personal assistants. For a brief moment he HAD considered letting his go, but not anymore! He marched back to the door and banged on it, yelling. "This is MY palace and I'll phase wherever I want to!"

"Not if you ever want to have another decent meal again!" She yelled back through the door.

Mozenrath opened his mouth to say something but no decent retort managed to come to him. With a grumble the dark sorcerer, turned to leave, taking a few steps before pausing and waving his right hand with a wicked grin, the door to the storage room instantly vanishing. He couldn't see her, but he definitely heard the scream or surprise and aggravation. "That'll teach her."

Satisfied, he smugly resumed walking away again when something hard and sharp collided with the backside of his head. He looked down and found a pincushion on the floor. He glared at the annoying object which had started this whole mess, rubbing the back of his head.

Stupid pincushion.

~N~N~N~N~

Later that evening he came down for dinner, still in a foul mood but more for the fact that his encantations seemed to be malfunctioning. He strode into the dining hall in time to see Rena putting down a bowl of soup at the head of the table where he usually sat, dressed in her usual  threadbare dress and bare feet. As she looked at him her expression grew mildly irritated but she said nothing about it as she finished prepping the table.

He sat down in his spot, watching her disappear through the small side door for a few minutes and come back with another bowl, this on full of rice, and stood there, just off to the side, to wait for him to eat. It was their usual routine, her standing there waiting. He seemed to be more relaxed when he had company to eat with otherwise, Rena had noticed, he tended to pick and play with his food, especially carrots. She’d figured out recently that Mozenrath didn’t like carrots.

So naturally his bowl of soup was currently filled with them.

The dark youth glared at her, sneering as he picked up the bowl and loudly slurped the broth a bit before picking up his spoon and plucking a carrot from its mix and catapulting it down the table. “So how is the dress coming along?”

Rena took in a deep breath, digging her fingers into her palms so as not to slap the spoon out of his hand. God he was such a child! “It won’t be finished for another couple days. I only have enough fabric to make one.”

He picked up another carrot slice and fired it off, this one going slightly farther than the other. “So sorry to hear that. I expect to see it when it’s done. I want to see what my money paid for.”

She knew he didn’t care in the least, he was just yanking her around. She crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight. “I WOULD have had enough fabric if you hadn’t startled me and made me trip. Now there’s a giant tear in it which I can’t repair and it’s made at least a full yard of it completely worthless!”

Now he actually looked at her, taking enough time to fire off one more carrot chunk before making a face. “It’s not my fault you startle easily. Nor it is my fault you fell. You snatched up nearly half a dozen of my mindless minions to work as your seamstress aids and you blame ME for your screw up?”

The brunette sighed and twitched her nose. She opened her mouth to argue then paused, giving him a funny look. “Since I have gotten here, other than the traveling spell, have I asked you for much of anything?”

He seemed to take an extra a second or two to think on her statement. “No, you haven’t. Much to your credit you have been relatively self sufficient.”

Despite her inner surprise that he’d openly admit it she continued. “So you understand that one of the few times I ask for something for myself I would be naturally upset should it get ruined?”

Without a word he stood, leaving his meal half eaten and headed out the main enterance with only an order of ‘follow me’ quietly commanding her to go with him. She tagged along behind him down a secondary hall that was rarely used to a storage room a floor down just past the library. With a snap of his gloved fingers the torches lit, hastily illuminating the room as he entered, heading straight to an assortment of crates and a large chest pushed towards the back. Using magic he pulled it out of the hoard and towards him, twisting his hand to the left so the lock inside it clicked and the lid easily opened. Inside was filled with musty smelling old clothes of various colors and sizes. She peered over his shoulder until he stepped aside for her to look more thoroughly, pulling a few from the bottom up and out so she could look them over in the light.

While most were nothing but rags a few pieces showed actual promise of still being worthy of being worn. She even found a pair of sandals that seemed like they might fit. One thing caught her eye though and she looked to him. “These are all boys clothes.”

“They were mine from many years ago.” He said flatly, suddenly interested in his nails. “Use them as you see fit.”

Rena dug through them a little deeper, pulling a small tunic out and blinking away the dust. Judging from the size the boy who’d warn this couldn’t have been more than nine or ten, which begged the question of how long had he been living here. “Mozenrath, how old were you when you first came to the Citadel?”

He just shrugged, looking bored. “To young to be any use, so I’m told.”

She could tell he was dodging the question. To her credit she let it go. “So I can use all of these? Why didn’t you tell them about these before?”

Mozenrath rolled his eyes. “You never asked.”

Without another word he headed out the door, mumbling something about his dinner getting cold, leaving her with a mouthful of questions and trunk full of clothes.

 


	4. A Spoonful of Curry

Chapter 4: A Spoonful of Curry

 

Rena sat up a bit, stretching before putting up her scrub brush back in its bucket. She'd stumbled upon this bath hall a few days after she'd arrived at the citadel and finally after two months of periodical scrubbing, in between her usual chores and meal making, she'd made it operational.

The hall itself was massive, decked out in tiled mosaics made of dark shades of black and blues. The ceiling was arched and depicted various constellations using flakes of gold that twinkled with life in the torchlight but appeared almost invisible during the day. She'd set up a small set of shelves in the far left corner for various soaps and oils along with towels and other necessities but the eeriest thing about the place was the water. Pumped up from an aquifer and piped in via copper metal workings and magic, when the water filled the bath it looked black. She'd found when you lifted a handful of water out all seemed to be fine but if something fell deep enough the object, or person's lower half, seemed to disappear into that darkness. This was partly due to the black tiles that lined the pool but Rena had a sneaky suspicion there was a more magical element to this as well.

When asked, Mozenrath had admitted that for a long time he'd been using cleaning potions and spells to keep himself tidy, not wanting to have to do the manual labor to clean and maintain the bath. He'd tried having the mamluks do it but they were just too clumsy for the job and ‘gunked up’ the place when they had the tendency to get wet. Speaking of the dark youth Rena looked up to the window alcoves the edged out the upper walls to spot the setting sun, knowing it was nearly time for him to start grumbling for his evening meal.

Heading back to the kitchen she put her cleaning supplies away before washing up and starting water to boil. She'd made it half way through cutting vegetables before Xerxes flew in, a now common occurrence as he liked to snack before eating. "Xerxes hungry!" The eel whined, practically drooling over the smells that filled the kitchen.

"I'll be done soon, just be patient." She told him, tossing an apple up in the air for him to catch. She couldn't help the smile as he caught the tidbit effortlessly, turning back to the simmering saucepan, adding the finishing touches before spooning out a plate and giving Xerxes the signal to go get Mozenrath.

Despite the half-eaten apple still in his mouth he slithered away leaving her time to bring the plate to the dining hall and set up her master's usual spot at the head of the long, empty space. Despite its length of nearly 20 feet there were in fact only two chairs out at the moment, the rest put up in one of the many spare storage rooms. For the most part Mozenrath preferred to eat alone, or at least he had in the beginning. But every so often, when he was in a particularly good mood, he would summon up the other chair from the opposing end of the table and bring to his right side for her to sit so he'd have someone to brag to about his ingenious plan or whatever had him so amused or at the very least have her continue standing off to the side and talk like that. Just recently he'd been going on about a tapestry he'd acquired from a nobleman, having practically stolen it right out from under his nose (as Mozenrath would tell it), but for the most part she'd eat alone in the kitchen, left to her own devices.

Rena had just finished setting up the table when Xerxes returned, oddly enough alone. "Where's Mozenrath?"

"Master busy. No hungry." The eel whined, slithering his way towards his master's cooling plate.

"He's been in there since before breakfast and already refused lunch. I'm not getting up in the middle of the night when he's finally done working just to make him food. Not again. Either he comes down from his lab and eats while it's still warm or he's not getting any til tomorrow!" She gave the eel a stern look, making him pause, jaws open to steal from his master's plate. "And neither will you!"

Xerxes paled and flew off, yelling frantically for his dark master while Rena waited at the table's edge, leaning on it a bit. She knew that should he actually come down he'd be pissed at her making demands of him again but at the moment, she really didn't give a damn.

Movement caught the corner of her eye as Xerxes, flying low and trying not to be seen, came slipping back in and disappearing under the table. When he finally popped up, mouth open and ready to snag the food on the plate with a triumphant cry she smacked him in the head with a wooden spoon, apparently hard enough to knock the poor thing out.

Tucking a strand of her copper-brown hair behind her ear she took the plate and various utensils back to the kitchen and grabbed a tray, carting the items up the stairs and through the citadel to Mozenrath's lab. She marched right up to the door and knocked, loudly, ignoring the clanging and cursing coming from the other side of the door. "Mozenrath, it's dinnertime."

"I'm busy woman." He snapped. "Go away."

"The last time you were too busy to eat you ended up barging into my storage room at 1 am demanding I make you something. You come out here and eat this curry or you won't get anything until tomorrow morning!"

There was some shifting sounds coming from inside, a chair being knocked over and stomping feet before the door burst open and a moody dark haired teenager glared down at her. "This is MY palace. I am the master here and I will decide when I eat!"

He then promptly slammed the door in her face.

Rolling her eyes she took the tray in one hand, a spoon in the other, scooping up a bit before kicking the door repeatedly. She heard him swear and a piece of glass crash as he stomped back towards the door and wrenched it open.

Raging, murderous eyes that would send anyone sensible running bore down at her as he gritted his teeth. Bracing himself with white knuckles on the doorway he opened his mouth to scream at her. "WHA-MPH!" His rant was cut short as a spoonful of curry was shoved in his mouth. Reflexively his jaw shut, giving her time to pull the spoon out clean and stare him down.

"Chew and swallow." She ordered, holding his hard gaze as he stood there, mouth full of food. When he didn't her stubborn look faded a bit to a softer expression. "Please?"

A few seconds passed before she caught the sight of motion as his jaw worked and a lump vanished down his throat towards his stomach. When he was done she offered him the meal, holding out the tray. "Want the rest?"

The young man bared his teeth like a dog ready to bite before stepping back and slamming the door in her face again. Rena sighed, putting the tray on the floor in front of the door, knocking one final time, this time much more softly, before calling, softer this time. "It's sitting outside if you change your mind."

The young woman started down the hall, heading back towards the kitchen, but before turning the corner she ducked behind an old tapestry, waiting silently. After a few minutes the laboratory door opened a bit the tray began to glow and levitate before disappearing into the lab, the door slamming shut behind it. Rena smiled, once again heading back towards the kitchen where she found a very full Xerxes awake and inside her pot once full of rice the saucepan also empty. She took him out and put him on the counter taking the dirty dishes to the wash basin. "I thought I told you that you couldn't eat until Mozenrath did?"

Xerxes flinched, waiting for another whack to the head for disobeying but relaxed when it didn't come. "Master eat?"

Rena nodded sweetly. "Master eat."

Xerxes grinned wickedly and flew off, albeit awkwardly due to the his swollen full belly as Rena put up her things before sitting down at the counter and began eating her own meal. A short time later, a tray of empty dishes appeared on the counter next to her, eat one damn near licked clean. She smiled softly and picked up the dishes, adding them to her sinkful and hummed a soft tune in an otherwise empty room.


	5. Bath at Midnight

_Warm sun leaked through the cracks in the shutters, caressing the skin of her arm, reflecting off the gold and jewels that adorned her neck, the copper threads in her dress sparkling in the light._

_An old song hummed through her head as she approached the window, her jeweled bangles jingling as she reached for those shutters that blocked out the light and threw them open, bathing her in light. The sounds of children playing in the streets below, of the market a bustle with people, all which she couldn’t be part of and a voice of confidence echoing in her mind, “You can do it Serena. You can do whatever you put your mind to…”_

_But the longer she stared into that bright sunlight the darker it seemed to become, like an eclipse suddenly sucking all the happiness from the world. That same voice, a woman’s voice, came again. This time she turned, away from that dark light, to see a woman, older, familiar yet stranger glaring at her, hands fisted at her sides and shaking with rage. “You killed my son…”_

_The old woman’s voice was filled with anguish as tears ran down her face. She could feel the icy grip of fear and regret wash through her veins as the old woman lunged at her. Suddenly it felt so hard to breath, hands grasping at her throat, blocking the movement of air. She clawed at those hands, the sounds of life below fading away, what little light left vanishing into darkness and then…falling. Falling with the old woman, faster and faster._

Rena bolted upright from her sleeping spot in the storage room, drenched in a cold sweat as shaky fingers carefully touched at her throat, those phantom hands long gone. Looking up to the window high above the stars shown clear and bright in the dark sky, dawn still several hours away. Running a hand through her dark tangled hair she swung her bare feet over the edge of the pile of rugs she called a bed stood, her nightgown, an old battered tunic she’d found in one of the various trunks hanging to just above her knees.

Soft steps over the icy tiled floor brought her to the small oil lamp she kept on a nearby table, relighting it to help her maneuver out into the kitchen. While in the daylight the space felt warm and familiar, but at night it seemed almost haunted filled with shadows over shadows as the moonlight and oil flame fought for dominance in the illuminated space. Setting down the light she pulled a bucket of water from the water drum in the corner, splashing the cool liquid onto her face. It made her feel better but not quite enough to get the words out of her mind.

“ _You killed my son…”_

A splash was heard, echoing through the Citadel making her jump a little. The water in the drum was still, so where did the sound come from? Again, another splash, coming from outside the kitchen and down the hall.

She followed the sounds, each shift and drip growing louder the closer she came to the source as she found her way to the bath, the one she’d been cleaning for weeks. As she entered she spotted a shape, rolling and diving in the inky black water. A fish perhaps? Or maybe a snake? She moved closer to the edge, crying out in surprise as a familiar eel-shaped creature came splashing to the surface.

Rena fell back on her butt, clenching the front of the tunic in her fist. Her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest and dance its way out the door. “Xerxes! You scared me half to death!”

The grey-scaled eel simply hissed its familiar laugh. “Xerxes swim! Xerxes swim!”

As the beast dived back and slithered through the dark water Rena couldn’t help but smile at the elation on his little face. She shifted to sit more relaxed on the edge of the water, Xerxes’s happiness helping to make the dream fade father from her mind. Soon after he left into the air, shaking himself like a dog of excess water, seeming much relaxed from his dip and moved to float level with her face, a large grin spreading over his face. “Breakfast time now?”

“Not for a few hours,” She explained, scratching him under his chin softly. “I had a bad dream and couldn’t sleep.”

The little beast didn’t much hear her, too busy purring (yes purring) from his chin scratches. As she scratched she absentmindedly eyed the water, the dream coming back into focus slowly. The water had helped her forget; perhaps a full blown dip would wash it away completely. “Xerxes, would you be a dear and bring me a towel? There’s some over in the corner of my room.”

When he didn’t move she eyed him, his expression sulking as she’d stopped scratching. “I’ll make you for favorite breakfast.”

“Xerxes get! Xerxes get!” The eel’s eyes widened in excitement, flying off into the darkness with earnest.

Once the beast was out of sight she turned back to the water, eyeing it carefully. As the water had stilled the flecks of gold in the tiles surrounding it had turned into a near sea of stars. If she let it sit completely, in this low light she might even have trouble telling where the water began and the tiles ended. Lighting a lamp the hung from a hook on the wall she pulled her tunic over her head, letting the sweet desert night air caress her skin a bit before she slipped into the water.

Its warmth felt like a gentle caress washing over her body, making her moan just a little. She relaxed so much she submerged, pushing her hair back as she resurfaced, swimming to the edge and hopping onto the submerged tile seat. The water leveled just below her breasts, holding them slightly with one hand as she reached across the slick tiles towards the bottles of soaps and oils she’d found whilst cleaning. She washed the grime of the nightmare’s sweat from her skin, humming softly as she worked in a lather, the same little tune she’d heard in that dream. Though it had been from the same woman who’d accused her of murder the song seemed to relax her even more than the water that surrounded her. It made her heart happy, warm, like a loving hug between friends or family. And although she couldn’t remember her childhood, the familiarity of it told her deep in her gut that she’d been hearing it and maybe even singing it since she was little. She paused in her washing, trying to think of a face to go with that face, that feeling of family but kept coming up empty. No friends, no family, no one at all, the memories like a hook baiting a hook, with a promising bobble on the surface, but no actual bites.

“Am I so alone in the world?” She asked herself, watching her wavy reflection in the water before submerging again, trying to avoid that cold shiver running up her spine at the thought.

“All clean?” A familiar voice asked as she resurfaced. She yelped in surprise, instantly attempting to cover what little of her person was about the surface of the water and turning to face him. “Mozenrath! What are you doing up so late?”

The dark sorcerer squatted down at the pools edge, smiling that wicked little smile of his. “Just passing by…”

She tried to avoid his gaze by looking down at his clothes, the crease of his work apron still visible on his dark tunic shirt. “You stayed up late working again, didn’t you?”

His smile faded a little as he stood back up, still looking down on her as he always preferred. “And apparently you decided to take a midnight dip.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” She explained, moving over to the edge of the bath. Out of the corner of her eye she could spot that grin of his getting bigger and bigger the closer she got to the edge. At the step she paused, still covered by water or her hand and looked at him. “Would you mind turning around while I get out?”

To her irritation he simply crossed his arms over his chest, his familiar glove tucking in against him. “Why should I?”

“Because I’d like to get out now. So again, please turn around.” And for a brief moment they stared each other down, trying to see who’d blink first.

To Rena’s surprise Mozenrath folded first, stepping a breath closer to the edge and leaning down, offering her a hand. “Why don’t I just…help you out instead?”

There was a playful, leering twinkle in his eyes. He wasn’t doing this to be creepy, just to embarrass her, and put her in her place. She could read it all over his face! She should have pushed him away, or maybe just got up without him and ignore the fact that she was dripping wet and naked in front of her master but Xerxes saved her from either decision, hastily flying in the room with carrying a familiar swatch of fabric in his mouth. “Ferfes bring towel!”

The opportunity was set. As Mozenrath turned around to see what was going on the brunette in front of him grabbed his extended hand and tugged, HARD. A loud SPLASH echoed through the room as a blur of creamy bronzed skin came out of the water the same time a flurry of sorcerer went in. By the time the gloved wet man surfaced, sputtering and swearing up a storm Rena was securely wrapped up in her towel, Xerxes floating there with his mouth hanging open in shock. She grabbed her tunic as she slipped and slid her way to the doorway.

Mozenrath pushed his dark wet curls from his eyes and glared her down when she looked back at him, her wet hair clinging to her bare shoulders as she cowered against the entrance. He raised his gloved hand out of the waiter, aiming it at her as it started to glow with the promise of pain but before he could open his mouth to cast the spell she bolted, the sounds of her slipping and slamming into the far wall echoing through the empty space, the ball of magic missing her by mere inches and blasting a few tiles off the wall instead. She could hear his roar of her name as it echoed through the halls of the citadel after her as she vanished into the darkness of the night.


	6. Thirdac Attack

It had been nearly a week since the bath incident. And Rena had had next to nothing of sleep. The morning after she'd pulled him into the pool she found him sitting calmly at the table waiting with a smile for her to serve breakfast. He'd let her place all the dishes, fix his plate and even taken a bite as if the whole ordeal had never happened. Until she attempted to walk away that is.

The feel of the rough leather of his gauntlet on her wrist still haunted her as he had grabbed her and held her in place until he was done chewing. She watched as he calmly wiped his mouth, put down his napkin and looked up at her, his demeanor calm and collected but eyes that promised hours of pain.

“I have not, nor will I, forgive or forget your severe lack of obedience this past evening,” he stated calmly, giving his calm and callused smile while her own face grew slightly pale. “so it is my duty, as your Master, to punish you."

She gulped and let in and out a shaky breath. "W-what it your punishment then, Mozenrath?"

"I have not decided yet. I must find something as equal to the humiliation as what you gave me. So I will hold your punishment for now…But let me make one thing clear." He gripped her wrist tighter, making her wince. With a slight twist he had her on her knees next to him. "This is MY home and you are my SLAVE. I OWN you. I saved you from the desert, gave you back you life so until I say otherwise you belong to ME!"

“You’re hurting me.” She said flatly, eyeing his grip on her wrist.

He looked at his hand as well and promptly let go, a bruise already forming where his glove had been. After that he'd marched off to his lab and hadn't come out since, leaving Xerxes to deliver messages should he need something.

Rena had also not slept much since then. The sheer idea of whatever he had in store kept her in constant nightmares and awake at all hours. She had been too worried to go back to the bath hall afraid of him appearing like before so a quick wash was all she had from time to time to keep away the stink. She could have sworn it was almost like a game of cat and mouse, especially when she’d bring him his tray of food and slip away with one eye always on the door and yet no sooner did she make it to the kitchen it seemed the dishes would already be there waiting for her.

She sighed for the umpteenth time at how ridiculous she was acting. She was stronger than this and usually he wasn't nearly this scary; but something about the look in his eyes that night and again that morning made her know just how serious he was about this punishment. And in her own subtle way she had left hints that she wanted forgiveness. She'd made him his favorite meals, fed his meat-eating plants for him, washed and mended all his clothes, polished his boots as well as cook and keep the citadel clean but still, not a word from him. She'd even asked Xerxes if Mozenrath had even noticed all the extra effort she'd put in but Xerxes didn't know either.

The smell of burning brought her back from her thoughts as she quickly pulled the bread from its place in the oven with her apron, placing it on the table to cool. She flapped her apron free of crumbs and began to turn back to her cooking with a flash caught her eye at the door. At first, it was just the sound of something sniffing, followed by a leg, then another and finally a beast with a back like a beetle and a great big eye came creeping into her kitchen. She froze very still as it entered the kitchen, sniffing around until at last it seemed to notice her. Raising its head it sniffed the air until finally its eye narrowed and braced its four legs and charged at her.

Rena screamed for dear life and took off, the beast in hot pursuit of her, she ran full circle around the kitchen before managing to climb on top of a high cupboard, a frying pan in hand. When it jump and came at her she whacked it in the face with the hard metal, dazing it for a moment. "MOZENRATH!" she screamed, terrified this thing might eat her. As the beast bucked up against the cupboard a ring from her apron pocket fell loose and clattered to the floor, rolling off under the table. The beast sniffed at the air and followed the little metal band as it finally rolled to a stop. In an instant it began to glow and levitate before flying off out the kitchen door and down the hall, the animal in hot pursuit.

The kitchen was once again silent as Rena stared hard at the door in case the beast came back. But instead of galloping footsteps she heard laughter, growing louder and louder until a familiar sorcerer came stammering through the door, nearly doubled over in amusement.

"You…you should have seen your face!" he yelled, pointing at her. "Look at you. You're scared yourself up into a corner!"

"You let that THING out in my kitchen on purpose?" She yelled back as he stumbled and gripped the edge of the table for leverage as he wiped his eyes, laughing so hard his eyes were watering, Xerxes soon flying in. "It tried to EAT me!"

Xerxes even hissed a laugh at her expense. "Thirdac no eat people. Thirdac eats magic." It hissed.

"Magic?" She questioned, starting to slowly attempt to get down, the cabinet groaning in warning. "Then why is it here?"

Mozenrath pulled at his glove and wiped his shirt some. "That is none of your concern, slave. However I think that using you as a test subject to see just how sensitive that creature is to nearby magic was quite fruitful. Thank you for being an unsuspecting victim." He cooed amusedly at her. "Now get down and clean up this kitchen."

Rena glared at him, now quite pissed at him. "I'd love you MASTER Mozenrath, but I can't seem to get down."

He eyed her, narrowing his eyes at her. "What do you mean you can't get down? Just go backwards the way you got up."

"Well sorry but when you're in a panic, sometimes you don't really pay attention just HOW you get places!" She yelled at him.

"Don't raise your voice at me, slave!" He yelled back, moving closer his hands on his hips.

"THEN GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!" She leaned forward to yell at him more when there was a loud CRACK! The cupboard, not built to sustain human weight as well as that of various kitchen items, gave underneath her sending her falling forward and straight at Mozenrath. When the dust and dishes settled Rena shook her head and sat up, coughing.

A faint gasping sound could be heard from beneath her and she looked down to see wide eyed Mozenrath underneath her. She gasped and clamored off of him. "Oh Gods, Mozenrath, I'm sorry, really. I didn't mean to land on you are you alright?"

She pulled the young man up to a sit and whacked his back a few times in an attempt to get him to breathe when she noticed a deep gash in his hair. "Mozenrath you're bleeding!" She scuttled away while he was still trying to inhale, when a full grown woman lands on you from a high place and knocks you to a stone floor it can really knock the wind out of you.

Rena came back with cold wet cloth and put it to his gash, making him hiss at the pain. "Ah! Be careful woman!" He hissed, ripping the cloth from her hand and swatting her away as he got to his feet. Despite his rough actions she continued to fritter around him, pressing her small hand over his as he pressed the damp cloth to his bleeding head. "Why is it every time I'm around you one of us is falling down?"

She paused in her clucking over him and looked at him. For a moment there, he seemed like a child, a big child whining at something because he was hurt. The moment passed quickly though when Xerxes came flying toward them. "Master! It comes! It comes!"

Mozenrath swore under his breath and pushed Rena out of his way, heading hastily toward the door, cloth still held to his head. "I WAS going to consider this little embarrassment your punishment, but since you've decided to retaliate by yelling and WOUNDING me you can guess again about this punishment being over!"

She opened her mouth to protest but a howl echoed through the citadel which made Mozenrath look over his shoulder. "Here,” he said, tossing her a golden key. “I found a new item which will save me from having to make you any more transportation spells. Use it on any door with a lock. Now clean this up!" And he was gone.

Hastily she took the key into the storage room and hid it, trying to keep the beast from sniffing it out and coming back. She picked up the kitchen and without a second thought took off to elsewhere to get as far away from the citadel and the Thirdac as possible.

 

 


	7. Marketplace Mayhem

The Marketplace was busy, people bustling about, sellers calling out to potential buyers for everything from corn to jewelry to scrolls of spells and ancient tales. Children laughed and men bartered, the place was just full of life. This place brought such a smile to Rena's she just couldn't contain it, humming lightly as she moved from stall to stall looking at all the different things.

"Young lady, come look at my beautiful silks!" A tall man in a red turban called to her, his round belly bumping against the stall as he pulled some copper colored silk from the mix of fabrics presented to the market. "Look, it matches your hair almost perfectly. Such beautiful silk for a beautiful lady." He cooed, hoping to make a sale.

Rena ran her fingers over the soft weave, tracing the lines of thread as it shimmered in the sunlight. "It is very lovely…" She said, a faint tug at the back of her mind making the back of her neck itch. "I-I think I had a dress of this once, a long time ago…" A faint image a girl, standing in front of a mirror came to mind. An image of herself, dressed in a long flowing gown made of coppers, bronze, and gold shining in the incoming light from a nearby window. But as her eyes gazed back at herself in the mirror the face staring back was sad and empty, as if all the beauty that she wore was not enough to make her smile.

A scream pulled her from the vision as many people began to run by her, their faces filled with terror. A screech of a flying beast overpowered the screams as its shadow flew overhead. The merchant grabbed his fabric away from her and, gathering what else he could carry, running off in fear as well. As the beast grew closer it truly was a hideous sight to see its fang dripping with saliva, it's yellow eyes hungry for prey. It began its decent over the civilians and the rest of the crowd ran in panic. Though Rena tried to hide back against the wall, too many people kept running into her she had to follow suit. She managed to catch the side of a building wall, hiding in a crook of an alleyway as the rest ran on.

Looking past the racing crowds she could see the beast circling and soon swoop over the crowd again, its clawed feet extended ready to pluck a person from the herd before a blur of color flew past and straight at the beast.

It was a boy.

A boy on a flying carpet was fighting off the beast. He leapt from the carpet to a balcony, wrestling with the monster and moved beyond her view. She had to see what was going on so she ducked back into the dark alleyway and back around the building. While she wove through the back alleys and streets she climbed up to a back alley stair. Rena could see the boy now, shirtless but wearing a purple vest and a red fez cap, a monkey on his shoulder. He was talking to someone and didn't look pleased.

Before she could get closer a wall moved into her way. A living wall of a man, who leered down at her with beady black eyes. "Look here, Amar, a pretty girl ran into me." The wall said, lowering his head to look her in the eye. "Are you lost, pretty girl?"

Rena did not like the look in his eyes and took a step back, only to run into another wall, this one much smaller but his eyes looked just the same. "She sure does look lost, Judah. Maybe we should take her home."

Rena looked between the two. "I-I'm sorry gentlemen but I don't think you could take me home, it's awfully far away. So if you'll just excuse me…" She faded off as she tried to step around the smaller man, Amar, who in turn, blocked her path on the narrow walkway.

"Didn't say we'd take you to YOUR home, pretty girl." Judah replied, taking a step closer to block her in.

In such a pinch Rena had to think quickly, she looked down and saw a pile of crates and wooden boxes stack against a near wall. Not wanting to end up in the hands of these two brute she hopped up onto the edge of the walkway and jumped for the stack of crates. As she landed, the pile caved in, toppling her down in a loud ruckus as wood splintered everywhere. When the dust and crates settled she lay bruised and in pain, but away from the strange men. Her vision started to blur slightly, her head as well as her right ankle pounding in pain, two blurs appeared in her sight, and by the shapes she could tell they were the two from before.

Judah reached for the fallen girl but a shout stopped him cold. "You there! What are you two doing?"

"Royal guards!" Amar yelled to Judah. "Quick, let's get out of here! Leave her!"

The two thugs dashed away as the alley filled with soldiers, the largest pursuing the two until the vanished completely, as he returned he looked down at the semi-unconscious girl and sneered. "What do we have here?"

Another guard, a black man with a large belly knelt to turn Rena's face. "She's still awake."

"Looks like she jumped." Another said, this one lanky in arms and legs, pointing with his drawn sword to the passageway she'd jumped from.

"Please…" Rena whispered. "Help me. My ankle…"

The black man looked to the first. "What shall we do Captain? She is injured."

The captain looked down his nose at the fallen woman. "Leave her. I'm sure someone will come along eventually."

Rena's hope fell as such a large man looked down at her. She'd never felt so pathetic and helpless before. Would they really leave her there? How would she get back to the Citadel? To Mozenrath? Would he even notice she was gone?

"Captain Rasoul. Are you really going to leave that poor woman in the gutter like that?" a female chimed in.

The large man stiffened, though he was only a blurry shadow now, his words fuzzy but understandable. "No…we will take her to…to…uh…"

"You will…palace…now…" She woman's voice began to fade until at last, everything went black.

When Rena awoke again she was laid out on a soft cushion of pillows, bandaged and taped and feeling much better.

"You are awake, that makes me so glad." That same female voice called. Rena turned her head and, to her surprise, found herself face to face with the princess of Agrabah. She stiffened, attempting to sit up to at least acknowledge the royalty in the room but the princess's gentle hand on her shoulder stilled her. "You don't have to do that, not in your condition."

Rena paused and looked at herself, not really noticing prior to that moment just how much was bandaged. She had lost of scraped and bruises and her clothes were torn nearly to shreds. "I must have fallen harder than I thought."

The princess chuckled and sat across from her, taking a teapot and pouring each of them a cup. "You did take quite a nasty fall. What happened to cause it?"

"There were two men, princess. They said they would take me home but, I had a heavy sense they went all that gentlemanly." Rena explained as she took the cup from the princess's extended hand.

"Call me Jasmine, please." She smiled and took a sip from her own cup first. "So you jumped to escape?"

Rena smiled softly. "I thought I could make it."

Jasmine chuckled. "You are a lot like my fiancé then. He does those kinds of stunts more often then I like."

The brunette quirked an eyebrow at the princess, naturally confused. "What do you mean?"

"My fiancé, Aladdin, he was raised on the streets, a street rat if you will, so he knows how to jump from roof top to roof top, things like that. Just this afternoon he jumped of his flying carpet to tackle some sort of beast that appeared in the marketplace."

Rena nearly spit out her tea. "That was your fiancé?"

Princess Jasmine beamed with pride. "Yes. Though it turns out it was all a hoax made by some sorcerer."

"What?" This time Rena held back the spitting but instead dropped her cup. "Oh! Sorry, that was just such a surprise that I…uh…is this a Tiger I'm staring at?" Rena squeaked softly as a large tiger ambled up to see what the commotion was about, growling softly.

"That's Rajah. He's a nice kitty, aren't you?" Jasmine cooed to the large cat, who in turn twitched his tail as he received pets from his favorite person. The tiger then turned his big eyes to the newcomer, ambling over to sniff and investigate. While doing so, Rena tentatively placed a hand on the large cat's head and began to pet it, smiling as he began to purr, even getting a few scratches in under its chin, the beast purring even louder. "He likes you."

"I scratch Xerxes like this all the time and he purrs too, which is strange but cute." Rena told her simply as Rajah returned to his Mistress's side.

"Xerxes is your cat?" Jasmine asked as her new acquaintance picked up her cup and set it back on the tray.

"No, he belongs to my Master. I am a servant." Rena replied simply. She knew if she said too much, the princess would figure out who exactly she served so she kept to simple answers.

"Oh. So you were shopping in the marketplace for him then."

Rena chuckled. "Hardly. I was looking for fabric for clothes. I work my tunics and dresses to rags cooking and cleaning for him I'm constantly on the look for new things to wear."

At this remark, Jasmine seemed to brighten. "Clothes? How wonderful! Our marketplace has some of the best selections around. I have several dresses made by locals here in Agrabah," her smile seemed to grow almost wicked in excitement. "Would you like to try a few on?"

The bandaged brunette blinked in surprised. "Oh no, I couldn't, a princess shouldn't let a servant like me try on her things."

"Why not? They are dresses, meant for wearing, where does it say they have to be worn only by me?" Jasmine was on her feet by now, helping her new friend to a stand. "The doctor said there was no damage to your ankle; only a bit of bruising, so walking should be fine, at least over to my closet. Besides, I want to give you something to wear home since firstly, your current one is ripped to shreds from the fall and secondly how rudely the royal guards treated you. A nice meal and a new dress is my gift to you, as a friend."

Rena paused in her hobble toward the closet and stared at the princess, stunned. "Friend?" The princess smiled at her and nodded, bringing tears to Rena's honey-brown eyes. "I've never had a friend before. Not that I can remember anyway."

Jasmine smiled softly and handed the crying girl a clothe handkerchief. "Come on; let's find you something to wear."

~N~N~N~N~N~N~N~

Rena stepped through the door and closed it, locking it back behind her before tucking the magic key into her bag and leaning back against the door, a sigh of relief escaping her lungs. She leaned her head back and smiled, her tummy filled with delicious food from the banquet she'd had with Jasmine as the sultan had gone off to neighboring country while Aladdin and his posse of Genie, parrot, monkey and flying carpet had gone home straight home to his "bachelor pad." She'd spent the evening listening to all of Jasmine's favorite stories about each of them, particularly about Aladdin and how he'd come from being a humble street boy to engaged to a princess. Rena had been floored to hear the tale of Aladdin finding the genie and carpet inside the cave of wonders and of the wicked grand vizier Jafar’s plot to take over the kingdom. Jafar had reminded her a lot of Mozenrath save for much older and power hungry, leaving her wonder if that’s what Mozenrath would become like in the next 10-15 years.

They had also gone through Jasmine's closet full of clothes and found a dress that fit her, a soft, yet bold red with gold trimmed lace on the shoulders that made thin sleeves three quarters down her arms. The designs on the dress were very simple, done not in literal gold thread but with shiny maroon that repeated itself down the skirt part of the dress. The princess had even let her dress up in gold bangles and necklaces for the banquet, which she insisted she give all back, save one; a solid bronze bracelet that Jasmine claimed "fit her wrist awkwardly" so she refused to take it back. Once the dinner was over, Jasmine even insisted Rena stay for the night so she could travel home in the morning, giving her a beautiful room near her own but the servant girl just couldn't take it. After Jasmine had gone to bed, Rena reached for her usual pocket only to remember she was not wearing her usual clothes. To add worse to worse her other dress was still in Jasmine's room. By now Jasmine was asleep and through she might be able to pass by the princess no problem, she was still injured and there was still a certain tiger she would probably wake, being too busted up to be exceptionally stealthy.

Rena sighed and sat on the side of the plush bed, running her hands over the soft fabrics of the cushion bedding. Her body began to ache and the mattress began to call to her until at last she gave in, laying her head down and falling into a deep and soothing sleep.

The following day Rena woke to the sun shining on her face. Her mind seemed to snap awake and she bolted upright, looking around in the unfamiliar room. As the previous day's memories floated back to her, her muscles relaxed and she swung her legs around the side of the bed. Tentatively she put weight upon her bruised ankle to find she could stand with little to no pain, though it was still a bit stiff. She managed to make it to the door only to find Rasoul on the other side, fist raised ready to knock. "Uh," He paused in surprise before straightening himself. "The princess requests your attendance to breakfast in the courtyard. Also, should you require it; I am to carry you there if your ankle is still injured."

Despite his glare at her she could not help but smile for he was obviously not used to being someone woman's walking aid. "Thank you, but no, I don't need carrying." He nodded and turned to leave. "But I don't know my way to the courtyard. Perhaps you could escort me there?"

She could hear his groan but turn toward her jerking his hand at her. "Come on already."

They walked in silence for several minutes until she managed to bring up a conversation with him. She talked about anything, mostly doing the talking compared to his few word answers. As they reached the steps leading out to the courtyard he bowed to her. To his surprise she bowed back with a light smile and a thank you. Despite the grumbles of having to babysit little girls she could have sworn she saw a small smile on his face as he turned to leave.

As the day wore on somehow she managed to spend the whole morning and afternoon with Jasmine, mostly talking. By the end of the day, Jasmine knew about her memory loss, her likes, dislikes, interests, but avoided certain subjects such as Mozenrath and her serving him. Jasmine must have picked up on this but she never pressed the subject. By the time the sun was setting Rena found herself having spent the whole day in the palace. Rena finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Jasmine, I hate to run like this but I need to head home now." Rena said softly to her new friend. "I've been gone an extra day then I was supposed to, my Master will be furious with me. Please, I need to go."

Jasmine nodded. "I understand but it'll be dark by the time you just make it out of the palace walls. At least wait until morning. I send a note with you so you won't be in too much trouble."

Rena knew better then to press the subject of leaving immediately. "Then could I at least have my things back so I can pack them for the trip tomorrow? I like to pack the night ahead so it's less to worry about in the morning."

Jasmine agreed and had the girl's things brought to her room before she hurried off to see Aladdin who had apparently just arrived back and was in a bit of a grouchy mood.

Rena snuck away to her room while the princess was busy with her beloved and pulled the key from her pocket. She left a note for Jasmine as a thank you and a promise to return soon as she was able, and returned to the Citadel.

The halls were quiet as night had fallen so she sighed in relief that Mozenrath was probably already in bed, or hard at work in his lab as usual. She removed her only jewelry item and tucked it away in her hidey-hole of the storage room.

Footsteps began to echo through the hall, muffled at first but by the time she turned to open the door it was already flung open, a very angry dark sorcerer storming in, again, without knocking.

"Where the HELL have…you…" he started in, his words soon losing momentum as well as his feet as she stood before him. "Where did you get that dress?"

"I bought it in the marketplace. The woman was selling it so cheaply she practically gave it to me." Rena lied. "Do you like it?"

Mozenrath stood back and looked his servant up and down for a moment before remarking. "You look like an over decorated chicken. Now change I need you to clean. Where the hell have you been anyway?!"

"What do you mean clean?" She dodged his question as he started to leave the room, following after him into the hall. "When I left everything was OH MY GOD!" She exclaimed, her kitchen looking like it had literally been turned upside down and a dust devil had gone through. "My kitchen!"

"The rest of the Citadel is pretty much the same state. So unless you want to start cleaning in that pretty little dress you just bought with MY money, get changed and START DOING YOUR JOB!" He yelled, kicking a pot hard enough to make it sail across the room, infuriated.

He headed out of the kitchen when her voice stopped him. "Who did this?" She asked, her tone soft and almost pitiful. "Who destroyed our home?"

He looked back at her to see tears in her eyes, something he hadn't expected from her. Not quite sure what to do he simply lowered his eyes to the ground and muttered the culprit's name, his right hand squeezing into a tight fist.

"Aladdin."


	8. Reconstructive headache

A beaker sailed across the table and shattered against the stone wall and gloved fist slammed down on the wooden table making more beakers and test tubes tremble in terror. Dark curls fell over his face, his teeth bared like fangs, gritting his teeth in anger and frustration.

Anger was obvious. An ingenious plot to take over the world foiled by some wholesome street urchin just because he had "morals." What homeless person had morals these days? They had nothing, fought for what they needed and even harder for what they wanted, even if it meant lying, cheating, and stealing. He could remember a time when he himself had had to do just that just to survive each day when Desdane had decided he needed to learn how to fend for himself the hard way. So why? Why would some tan, scrawny, under clothed PEASANT think it's so wrong if a well meaning, be it dark, sorcerer such as himself took over a country or two? That spoiled little shit had to go and not only ruin his plan that'd he'd painstakingly worked on for months but he had to go and DESTROY his home while he recaptured the Thirdac. That look on Rena's face when she saw the damage to her kitchen had made him even more furious with Aladdin than ever.

That's where the frustration came in. That face that she'd made, so heartbroken, and over a damn kitchen no less, seemed to have burned itself into his brain. Not only that but when he'd seen her in the crowd in the marketplace, nearly trampled by those mindless buffoons he'd been so enraged he'd nearly had his makeshift beast swoop down and kill someone. His frustration had worsened still when she was so late returning to the Citadel. True, with the Thirdac and that cretin Aladdin running around breaking things he couldn't very well go inside his own house but still, that key was set to alarm him when used; he would have known if she'd returned sooner. The hell if he was worried about some stupid slave's wellbeing, but he also didn't want his PROPERTY damaged without his consent.

He sighed and ran his gloved hand through this damp hair, eyeing a nearby flame, the red and oranges of the little heat bringing the image if her standing there in that dress, a surprised look on her face making his insides started to churn awkwardly. That was the most frustrating part of all. The images of her, running through his mind, like a wheel of torment. Her eyes always expressive, her face smiling or turned into a thin line when she was angry, her voice calling his name, her body…she was making it hard to concentrate.

His insides churned again at that thought but he brushed it off to simple hunger. He hadn't eaten since the Thirdac had gotten loose the day before and here the sun was already rising. He pushed away from his table and pulled off his left glove, using it to undo the knot in his apron and tossing it onto the work stool as he headed out the door.

The citadel halls for the most part had been cleared of debris where the Thirdac had been scampering around and he'd set his own lab up to rights but the main rooms of the castle were still a mess. He passed mamluks picking up broken pieces of stone and wood and could hear a great commotion coming from the main hall. Turning the corner he could see several mamluks, Rena, and even Xerxes, attempting to raise a piece of column from where it'd broken and crashed into the hall floor. By the looks of it, the genie he'd stolen to get Aladdin had probably attempted to crush the Thirdac with the column piece but must have missed. The grunts of the mamluks and the commands of "Pull! Pull!" from Rena was barely getting the block off the ground.

"Rena!" He yelled to his sweaty slave girl. "I'm hungry, where is my breakfast?"

Rena gave him a quick look, still tugging. "Sorry Mozenrath I'm a little busy right now. I'll make it as soon as we've put this back in the column wall."

He put his hands on his hips. "But I'm hungry now."

Rena gave a command and the all stopped pulling, the column piece setting on the ground with a loud, deep THUD despite it short distance traveled. Her face was pouring down sweat, her hair was a mess, her hands were red and blistered as she mimicked his stance and faced off against him. "Well I'm sorry his highness is so hungry but in case you didn't know I'm just trying to clean this place up just as YOU ordered me too. I have been up all night making repairs and scrubbing up the mess YOUR monster made so excuse me if I haven't had any time whatsoever to make you food! So unless you want to get off your high horse and HELP ME for once, stay out of my way and make breakfast yourself!"

With newfound energy from her growing anger at her master Rena grabbed the rope, barked a command and they all started heaving the rock up again, it moving just a breath higher than before.

For a moment, Mozenrath stood there, stunned at not only how he'd been talked to but that, damn it, she was right. Grumbling to himself he raised his hand and the column piece began to glow, levitating and wedging itself into the column where magic sealed it in place to look as if it had never been cut. When complete he turned his smug expression to his slave, expecting gratitude but all he got was a glare. "Well aren't you going to say 'thank you'?"

"Thank you?" She yelled. "If you could have done that to begin with I would have been done cleaning and been in bed hours ago!" She marched past him, obviously furious and headed to her newly cleaned kitchen. "Go sit down, I'll make your damn meal!"

He looked at the mamluks surrounding him, even they looked pissed off. Fuming as well he turned and marched off after her, grumbling all the way. The young sorcerer followed the sounds of banging pots and pans to the kitchen, spotting her back turned to him as she slapped various ingredients into a pot of water and slammed a lid down on it. She caught a glimpse of him in the corner of her eye, making a face when he slid onto the stool in the kitchen but otherwise said nothing.

Unbelievable! Seriously, why hadn’t he done that little trick earlier and saved everyone hours of work? He was so selfish! Bringing in a magic eating monster then letting it run loose in the Citadel for some second hand help to chase after and collar the beast just because he couldn’t do it himself?! She was honestly surprised he hadn’t made HER go chasing off after that thing.

She glared at the covered pot, hoping the heat of her gaze would make it boil twice as fast so she could get him out of her kitchen. When that didn’t work she marched off into the direction of the food storage and came back with an armful of ingredients and started working on the flat bread to go with it, making up the dough and rolling it out, noticing how Mozenrath took extra care to stay out of her way. In that, she paused. If he was going to sit there on his high horse and just watch her idly, he had another thing coming. Stopping she looked at him, holding out the rolling pin to him. “You do this.”

He raised a perfectly arched black eyebrow at her. “What?”

“Roll this out flat for me.” The brunette repeated, shaking the pin at him.

“I don’t cook, that’s YOUR job.” He insisted flatly, narrowing his eyes at her almost threateningly.

She sighed and shook the pin at him some more. “Look, cooking is a lot like potion making. You put the ingredients together and something new comes out. It’s fairly easy, unlike say, trying to move a giant piece of marble back into place without magic. So why don’t you try it?”

“I. Don’t. Cook.” He repeated, now clearly angry, arms crossed over his chest.

“I’m not asking you to cook, I’m asking you to help me roll this piece of wood covered in flour over this blob of dough to flatten it out so I can get it cooked faster for YOUR meal.” She thrust the rolling pin at him until the tip of it was less than an inch from his nose. “As much as you may think it possible, there will be times when I won’t be around to cook for you, so I suggest you learn how to do this before that day comes and you’re left starving again. Now stop complaining, get off that stool and come roll this dough!”

They glared at each other through narrowed gazes for longer than a minute. Her determination won out in the end and he rose, keeping his gaze locked with hers as he begrudgingly came around the table and snatched the pin from her hand, holding it awkwardly. Holding back a sigh she put her hands over his, readjusting his grip and adding some flour to the pin before putting it to the dough and pushing it over the top of it, guiding him. The young man said nothing, just continued glaring down at the lump of unassuming flour/water mixture and continued to roll it flat several times after she took her hands away. As much as he hated to admit it, she’d been right, this step was fairly easy. And when it was flat enough she handed him a knife and told him how she wanted the dough cut so she could cook it.

Then she turned around to take care of her pot, now boiling, removing the lid. For the fleetest of moments Mozenrath panicked, suddenly left alone with little to no knowledge of what to do except some limited instructions and a knife. His hands hovered over the flattened out dough and he stared down at it, her words running over and over in his head. It was like back when he first started learning potion making with Desdane. Every time he’d screwed up something Desdane had beaten him black and blue and not let him eat anything for the day. When Rena came back to check on him and noticed he still hadn’t moved save for a few cuts like he thought she wanted she gave him a curious look and asked what was wrong.

“I don’t want to do this. This is stupid.” He threw the knife down and turned to leave. “If you’re not going to do your job then I might as well get rid of you.”

He felt a tug at his arm and he looked irritably down at her. Although she too looked angry, her voice remained soft spoken and simple. “You’re just nervous because you’ve never done this before. Come back here and actually look at your work.”

She tugged him, albeit with more resistance than should have been necessary, and pointed to her cut dough. It looked terrible, even to his untrained eye but she gave him a soft smile. “For a first time, you did great. Just like spell casting and potions, these things take practice.”

Mozenrath gave her a long look. She smiled back, not upset at him in the least. He could tell she was still plenty angry by the way she still moved about the space with a determined step, but she never pointedly directed at him other than that first comment. She showed him out she put the pan on the fire and prepped it for the dough pieces. She even had him do the last one himself. When it burnt around the edges she didn’t complain but instead broke it in half and handed a piece of it to him, taking a bite of the other. “Taste it. It’s yours.”

He took it and bit off a piece. It tasted just as burnt as it was but there was a hint of satisfaction in that small piece of bread. Much like the first time he got a spell to work right, this bread was his accomplishment, and although it may not have been perfect, it was his. At that he looked at her and smiled. Rena’s eyes widened in surprise, nearly dropping the lid in her hand. She’d never seen him smile, not like that. Sure a wicked grin here and there but this…it was almost too much. He caught her staring and the smile instantly vanished to a confused look. “What?”

“Nothing! I’m just glad you enjoyed your first cooking lesson.” The brunette shook her head hastily.

Mozenrath shrugged, finishing off his piece of bread. “It’s burnt. But I do see your point about it being similar to potion making.”

“If you ever want to learn more, just let me know. I’ll be more than happy to teach you, even if it does put me out of a job.” She chuckled at her own joke, letting him sit down after that, turning to her pot which was trying to boil over from neglect and stir its contents. “OW!”

Rena yelped, wincing and gripping her arm where boiling hot water had splashed over her skin, making her drop her spoon to the ground with a wooden clatter. She let out a phrase in aggravation which seemed to catch his attention and look at her more closely. “What did you do?”

“It’s nothing.” She looked down at her arm, the skin bright red and agitated. Moving over to the nearby basin she kept full of water she laid her arm awkwardly in it, biting her inner cheek as it stung something fierce. As she stood there a shadow cast itself over her side, and a gloved hand reached out, pulling her arm from the water so he could examine it. When the rough leather touched burnt skin she sucked in a hiss of air through gritted teeth. “Let go, that hurts!”

Mozenrath held fast to her arm despite her complaints and attempts to remove him from her person. Transferring his grip on her arm from his right hand to his left he held her wrist tightly, letting his glove hover over the wound for a few seconds. Warmth started to spread over the brunette’s arm, her honeyed gaze moving from his face to her wound and back again. The pain soon subsided and when he finally released her the reddened mark was completely gone. “It will still be tender, but it shouldn’t leave a scar. Try not to be so careless next time.”

Rena stared at him, dumbfounded as he went back to his stool at the counter and waited for his meal. “Why did you do that?”

He looked at her, giving her a confused look. “Because I don’t need some injured woman doing a half-ass job cooking the rest of my meal. Doing simple stuff like that is easy enough, anyway. Easy, yet boring.”

“Thank you.” She said softly, looking down at her arm then back at him. His expression was blank but his dark eyes gave a slow blink, probably the closest thing to an honest ‘you’re welcome’ she’d get. Without another word she turned back to her pot, stirring it more carefully this time.

~N~N~N~N~

It turns out the damage to the Citadel was far worse than Mozenrath had originally predicted. It seemed to be taking several weeks to get all the rubble cleaned up and the walls and ceilings replastered from where the Thirdac’s claws had dug holes into the stone beneath. He made an irritated face looking up at his ceiling…it really had been a terrible idea to use a Thirdac. Seriously what HAD he been thinking?

Marching off toward his lab he nearly jumped out of his skin when a loud crash followed by a feminine scream echoed through the halls. With irritation he headed quickly in the direction of the cry, rolling his eyes confident in the face that he knew exactly what had happened. Rena was probably off somewhere getting into something and now she’d gotten herself into some sort of trouble again. “Honestly that woman is more trouble than she’s worth!”

When a second scream came, this time it was his name at the top of her lungs that quickened pace turned into an all out run. The feel of magic hung heavy in the air, strong and uncontrolled and her screams were becoming more and more immediate the closer he seemed to get. Xerxes came flying out of nearby door and bolted for him the moment he spotted the dark youth. “Master help! Danger! Danger!”

“Where is Rena?” Mozenrath demanded as Xerxes flew in a tight circle around his head. “What has she done now?”

“Rena working. Ceiling fall down. Something break. Rena in danger!” Xerxes stopped whining when another cry for help erupted from the room he’d come from and he grabbed a mouthful of Mozenrath’s sleeve. “Fafe Reena! Fafe Reena!”

“Let me go you stupid sea snake!” The young man swatted the eel away and marched himself down the hall and through the doorway into a large, windowless room. The space was a spare storage room Desdane had used for various odds and ends over the course of his years and Mozenrath had never bothered to go through, much less clean out. If it had been in its normal condition he would have recognized it as the same room he’d ordered Rena to clean and catalog for him for later use. As it was Rena was currently stuck cowering under a table as some sort of green shooting star bounced and ricocheted itself off of every corner of the room; anything it hit would suddenly start to glow and levitate towards the ceiling. “Rena!”

“Mozenrath!” She called out, a hint of hopeful excitement in her voice.

“What the hell’s going on here?!” He snapped back, swatting a floating teacup, two spoons and stuffed squirrel out of his way.

“A chunk of ceiling fell down while I was working and knocked over a vase or something. The next thing I know this thing is bouncing all over and…behind you!”

The young man ducked out of the way as the sparkling green blob of magic whizzed just past his left ear, bouncing about and knocking into the table Rena was hiding under which soon slowly started to float upward. “Must be something Desdane was working on,” he muttered. “I don’t recognize this magic.”

“Well it’s making it exceedingly hard to get anything done in here!” Rena quipped, bobbing and weaving her way towards him.

“We just need to find a way to contain it somehow.” He said matter-of-factly, looking around for something like a box or anything with a lid to hold it in. He grabbed at a small cylinder and opened it without thinking and fire suddenly shot out the top. He hastily shut it again and swore to himself, tossing it back in the pile from whence it came. How did Desdane ever find anything in here?

As she moved towards him the green ball slammed into her shoulder, nearly knocking her to her knees; she let out a quick squeal as her whole body suddenly began to tingle with magic and levitate off the ground. “No, no, no…Help!”

She tried to turn, grab something, even flailed her arms and kick her legs to try to maneuver herself in some direction or other but all it did was end with her upside down and curling into a ball to try not to get hit by the ball of magic a second time. Mozenrath watched her slowly rise towards the high ceiling and the edges of his mouth twitched with amusement at how, despite being upside down, she tried to keep her hair out of her face and dress, tucked between her knees for modesty. Rena yelled at him in desperation. Xerxes swam his way through the air to help her, trying to pull her back down with a grip of her apron but eventually he too was hit by the green magic ball. Oddly enough, he ended up getting thrown sideways and glued to the wall, perhaps because he could already fly. “Get me down from here!”

“If I can contain it everything should come loose of its spell hold and fall. Help me find something to contain it!” He yelled back.

“I’m a little busy at the moment!” She snapped, throwing her hair back out of her face but to no avail and glaring daggers at him. From her bird’s eye view she could see the whole room, spotting a blue and white china vase floating a few feet behind him. “What about that one behind you?”

He looked and shook his head. “No, not that one. I need something with a lid I can put a sealing spell on.”

Gritting her teeth in frustration, growling a bit as her caramel eyes searched over the room, finally spotting a red box just below her, it’ lid slightly ajar on a hinge. “What about that one?”

He followed her finger pointing, weaving through the slowly filling room of floating objects to jump and grab at the box. Mozenrath looked it over quickly both with and without magic. It’d be a tight squeeze but the spell would fit. Now he just needed to figure out how to get the green ball to bounce his way. “Now we need to get it to head this direction.”

Rena, having finally bumped up against the ceiling, found that she could push off in various directions and have some maneuverability. She grabbed at a piece of wood and shifted into the line of sight for the ball, holding steady until it was right in front of her, swinging with all her might to knock it in his direction. With a hasty SNAP the lid slammed closed, Mozenrath’s body jerking in various directions like the ball was trying to bounce out again while his glove glowed over the lid. He finally stilled and held the box aloft, looking up at the woman above him, smiling triumphantly.

She returned the grin before whatever spell that had been holding her up there loosed its grip. She screamed as her body, along with everything else stuck to the ceiling, began to plummet towards the ground, closing her eyes she braced her arms for the impending pain of the ground. Warm magic encircled her body and slowed her decent enough for strong arms to hook under her knees and around her shoulders until the magic let go, her caramel eyes staring up into dark black ones.

“What is it with you and falling on me? First the kitchen, now this? Luckily I was prepared this time.” He chided, lowering her legs to the ground for her to stand.

Without another word she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, ecstatic to be once more grounded. “Thank you! That fall alone could have killed me!”

They stayed like that for a brief moment before sensible logic returned and he pushed her away from him, gripping her shoulders and clearing his throat. “Yes, well, you’d better clean up this mess before the end of the day. And next time watch what the hell you’re doing!”

She looked at him, nodding briefly before his words completely sank in. “Wait a minute; it wasn’t my fault the ceiling broke!”

“That’s beside the point.” He replied, hastily turning and heading out the door, Rena and Xerxes close behind him, arguing with him down the hall, blissfully ignorant to the newest pile of things in the center of the room, the innocent table sitting precariously at its top just as confused on it would get down.

 


	9. In the Bath

Pushing dark curls from the nape of his neck, Mozenrath turned his head this way and that, gritting his teeth about just how stiff it was. He'd pulled an all-nighter again, the third in a row this week. His eyes were sore and exhausted from staring at scrolls and old texts trying to find research on what he was looking for. He'd gone through every book he had in Desdane's old library but still, something nagged at him that his plan just wasn't complete enough to be put into action.

Stretching his arms over his head and toward the ceiling a distinct smell moved past his nose. A foul smell, tracing back to his clothes. Raising a piece of his shirt to his nose the tentatively sniffed, retching back at just how much he smelled of sweat and potion ingredients. No wonder Xerxes kept out of the lab these past few days, he smelled like the rotting fish to put it nicely.

He stood, pulling off his left glove and apron before tracing his familiar route to a particular storage room, pushing the creaky door open to find his servant girl snoring away on her makeshift bed of old rugs, blankets and sheets. He reached down and shook her. "Get up."

She rolled over in her sleep and moaned. "Go away, Mozenrath, I'm sleeping."

The dark sorcerer rolled his eyes and shook her again. "Get up, now!"

She turned back to him and sat up, her eyes barely open, hair a mess of coppery curls down her back and shoulders, and a shoulder bare from where her tunic had slipped while she rolled in her sleep. Rena rubbed her eyes. "What do you want; it's not even morning yet."

"I've decided on your punishment." He said smugly, crossing his arms over his chest.

She yawned and stared unfocused honey brown eyes at him, "What punishment?"

His pale eyelids narrowed. "The punishment for cracking my head open with an iron skillet the other day."

"Oh," She yawned again as she spoke. "That punishment. What do I need to do for you, Mozenrath."

He leaned in, a big wicked grin on his lips so they were eye to eye. "Give me a bath."

That woke her up. "What?"

"You heard me."

Rena's face turned as red as her hair. "I can't give you a bath! You're not dog or some little kid! You're a grown man, bathe yourself!"

Before she could complain more he had her by the front of her tunic and an inch from his very pissed of expression. "You will NOT talk back to me, Slave. You have disrespected me and as such need to be punished. This is the punishment I have decided and no amount of bitching about it is going to get you out of it. So get your ass out of bed and meet me the bath hall in ten minutes!"

Shoving her back a bit he let loose of her, turning around in a whirl and disappearing out the door, marching himself on to the bath hall. With a snap of his fingers every torch and lantern in the hall was ablaze with magic fire, making the warm water of the bath twinkle like a sea of night sky. He disrobed quickly and sank himself onto the submerged step and into the liquid, making ripples in that false night. He closed his eyes and let out a relaxing sigh as he spread his arms out along the side of the pool, his right hand still gloved, and sank deeper into the water and stared up at the tiled ceiling.

Why had he commanded her to do this? He knew well enough how to wash himself and could probably do a better job then she could of it. Plus if she asked about his right hand she'd probably see…what was left of it anyway.

He smirked, but the look on her face was priceless. How red she'd turned, oh what thoughts must have been going through her mind when she thought about what he'd said. That look and the thought of her utter embarrassment of having to wash a man's skin was enough of a "punishment" on her part and a "pleasure" at her misery on his.

The sound of bare feet slapping lightly against the tiled floor made his turn his head, eyeing the armload of folded clothes she carried as, red faced but silent, she walked into the room. To his surprise, however, she was still in her tunic. It was a thin, an old one of his, a grungy grey color that barely came to her knees and the sleeve holes hung low, making it so if she turned just right you could see the bare skin of her armpits, ribcage and probably even the beginning of her breasts, but then again he'd never much thought of looking at her like that. In fact, other than the day he'd found her on the steps of the citadel, when he'd noticed her breasts were moving as she breathed, he hadn't thought of them, much less that she was, in fact, a woman, with long, shapely legs, decent curves to her hips and torso, a fair inset to her waist, long arms and fingers. And when she turned, her face was as easily readable as they day she'd arrived, her cheeks so red her eyes not even wanting to look his direction it made his amusement at her misery all the more pleasurable.

"I, um, I took the liberty of getting you fresh clothes from your room." She told him, clearing her throat as she set them down before turning her body and full attention to face him. "Is there… anything… particular… you need washed?"

Such a loaded question he could have very well laughed but instead decided to tease her a bit. "Oh yes, something very particular. So much so I want you to wash it FIRST."

He watched her visibly gulp as she came closer, holding a small washcloth, wringing it in her hands. "And, um, what would that be?"

Rolled his head back to eye her upside down from his stretched out position on the seat along the side of the pool. "My hair."

Her face read from embarrassment to relief then to anger. "Your…hair?"

He grinned to himself and closed his eyes, engraining that look on her face into his brain. "Were you expecting something else?"

Rena's fingers dug into her palms as her face went from red embarrassment to red fury. She grabbed a nearby jug of water, marched over to his unsuspecting form and dumped its icy contents over his head.

"GAAAAHHH!" His body went stiff as ice ran up and down his spine, his skin crawling with goose bumps until he submerged himself in the warm water. By the time he came back up a copper-haired servant girl was glaring at him, stamping her feet and yelling in some strange foreign language. She kept yelling her fury at him for a good minute before she finally seemed to take a breath, even hunched over and panting a little before taking a long blink, all that anger seeming to vanish, instead replaced with a light smile.

She picked up the now empty jar and set it to the side before squatting and shifting to sit on the edge of the pool her feet knee deep in water and braced firmly on the underwater seat. She grabbed a couple bottles of oils and soaps and looked at him. "Are you ready?"

His eye twitched. "What the hell was that?"

"A completely natural and somewhat automatic reaction to being utterly embarrassed by your double-ended statement." Rena replied simply, a smug grin on her face.

His dark eye twitched again. That was NOT the reaction he was expecting or enjoying. "Well what exactly did you say?"

Rena blinked at him, a questioning look on her face. "What do you mean?"

"You were speaking another language. What did you say?"

Her eyebrows furrowed together a moment. "I didn't even notice I was. As for what I said I was simply expressing my anger and frustration at all the evil and wicked things you torture me with, that's all."

He stood in the waist deep water, damp arms crossed over his chest. "I want to know EXACLY what you said."

“Probably about the same thing you said the last time Aladdin was brought up.” Rena sighed, giving him a pitiful look. "Let's just get this over with, alright?"

Begrudgingly Mozenrath, after holding his stance for a moment or two, let it drop (this time) and found himself soon sitting back on the seat with long fingered hands running through and around on his scalp. The worst part was that he was enjoying it. She scratched and massaged his head until he completely forgot his anger towards her and was instead leaned back against her as she hummed lightly to herself. "What is that song you keep humming?"

"I don't really know. It's been stuck in my head for over a month now. I think someone used to sing it to me or something like that."

"No wonder it's starting to get so annoying." He grumbled to which she yanked his hair. "Ow! Watch it, woman!"

"Sorry," she cooed. "My fingers got tangled." She smiled as he sulked. "Well it's no wonder, your hair looks like it hasn't seen soap or water in days. When was the last time you actually left your lab?"

"None of your business." He snapped. "Besides, I've nearly completed my new plan."

"Another scheme to take over the world?" she asked, lathering her hands with soap before kneading it into his hair.

"No. I've come to the resolution that in order to succeed in my plans for world dominance I will need more power then what magic this gauntlet provides."

"Why do you want to rule the world anyway?" She asked, cleaning behind his ears. "All the politics and diplomacy of running one country, I'm sure is a nightmare. Don't you think that one man ruling so many countries that are spread out over miles of desert is spreading yourself and you magic a little too thin?"

"Which is exactly why I need MORE power in order for me to be able to rule with an iron fist. With the power of Dagger Rock and the genie I will have unlimited power of the seven desert and all who dwell within it."

The tone in his voice made her pause in her scrubbing and pull his hair enough to make him lean back his head and look up at her. "Genie? What genie?"

"Aladdin's genie." Mozenrath said wickedly. "For destroying my plans and my home I will destroy his life! And what threat does he pose without his genie?"

"To underestimate someone is to give them strength to defeat you." Rena replied warningly but silenced herself when his gaze turned into one of the "glaring" variety. She sighed and bent over him, gently grabbing the back of his gloved right hand and turning it over, not to cause alarm, but more as if to examine it. "So powerful and yet so grungy looking, don't you ever wash it? I bet your hand inside there all the time makes this stupid thing reek like a…" As she'd been talking she'd managed to yank the glove off, revealing a skeleton hand and wrist and rotting flesh of a lower arm. "Rotting…corpse…Mozenrath your hand!"

He started to recoil his hand and hide it from her sight, but instead thought better and instead, flexed his bony fingers, so prove it was no illusion. "Merely a small sacrifice for a greater cause. Repulsive isn't it?"

To his surprise she tenderly took his bony fingers in her hand and traced her fingers over it, from the tips of his fingers to where bone met soggy bandaged wrappings. Taking her time she pulled the gauzy wrappings loose, unwinding them from his arm, shoulder and neck to reveal what was left of flesh, all green and decaying, black and bruised or a combination of both. "Why did you have to sacrifice something so precious, Mozenrath?" Her words were soft and, to his bafflement, sad. At this he pulled his hand away from her, slipping his glove back on. "Despite being bone, I can still feel sensations like touch, so leave it alone."

They sat in silence as she finished her work, speaking only to inform him he should submerge to rinse his hair and skin more thoroughly. When he resurfaced he found her up and putting things away, her back to him to give him time to hop out and redress.

"Have you devised a fail-safe should you fail?"

In an instant he was facing her, crossing the few paces between them, his grip around her wrists squeezing tight and eyes almost seeing red with fury, his voice calm and even. "I… will…not…lose..."

Rena, though mildly stunned at his sudden presence went from surprise to a steady gaze. "Yes Master Mozenrath."

She broke from his loosened grasp and side stepped him, beginning to walk away. With a small pause in her step she turned and looked back at him with a smile gracing her face. "I shall make your favorite when you return from your victory." With that, she left.


	10. Thoughts on Dagger Rock

In the dark of the night, wind blew the blackened sands of the desert across the steps of the Citadel, its howl turning to whistles and whips as it breezed past the windows and shadowed halls. Somewhere in this hallowed place a single set of curtains flapped in the breeze unbeknownst to a certain dark sorcerer but, for him, other thoughts plagued his minds then a silly set of draperies.

Lying awake in his darkened room he raised his right hand from its place on the black sheets that covered him to tangle in the incoming moonbeams that scarcely bypassed the blackened netting that covered his bed and illuminated the room. The faint hiss of Xerxes, curled up on a pillow nearby broke up the howls of the blowing wind but he did not hear either sound. His ears rang of a hummed tune that seemed to play over and over in his head as phantom fingers traced over his bony ones, making them tingle with sensations he hadn't felt in a long time.

" _Have you devised a fail-safe should you fail?"_

His eyes narrowed and his boney digits fisted in anger. The nerve of her, asking such a question. He would NOT fail. Goody-Goody Aladdin would never see his plan coming. Just because the plan with the Thirdac had not come to fruition didn't mean this one wouldn't. He had not taken into account a stupid street urchin actually having a conscience. This time he would eliminate that factor by keeping Aladdin under his constant surveillance.

Mozenrath ran his bony fingers through his hair before reaching for his glove, slipping it on, the familiar leather was a small comfort to him as he rolled over onto his side. He stroked the glove with his other hand and chuckled to himself.

Yes…he WOULD succeed…

~N~N~N~N~N~

_Drum…drum…d…r…u…m…_

Rena sighed for the umpteenth time that day and stared off into space. "It's so BORING here today." She complained to the empty room. "Mozenrath said he'd be gone for a few days and that was a week ago. That man has no sense of time management."

Looking down at her fingers drumming on the counter she sighed again, examining them, hard and callused from the daily labor of cooking and cleaning. With no sorcerer around she had no one to cook for, and the Citadel was spotless more so than usual out of need for something to do. The meat eating plants had been fed, her storage room had been reorganized, the mamluks were off being mamluks, and she'd even gone as far as to make up a cot in his lab for when he got back still…nothing.

"I need to get out of here." She declared, moving to a stand. "He hasn't returned for a week, what makes you think he'll be back a few hours from now?"

She grabbed her key and headed to the nearest locked door, pushing it into the keyhole and thinking of a familiar room in a familiar palace before turning the key, it's familiar "click" of unlocking pushing past her ears. Removing the key from its hole she pushed the door open to inside the palace in Agrabah, closing and locking the door behind her before opening the door again, this time it led out into the hallway. She ventured out in time to see a monkey running past. As it ran, its little fez hat popped off his head and rolled to a stop at her feet. Rena knelt down and picked the little hat up the monkey (seeming to know his hat was now missing) stopped mid run and looked around, probably wondering where it'd gone.

"Here," She called, catching the primate's attention. "This is yours, isn't it?" Rena held out the little hat to him as he slowly maneuvered closer, finally snatching it from her hand and positioning it on top of his head. "What's your name little fella?" She asked, scratching under the monkey's chin like she did with Xerxes. He seemed to like it because he reacted much like the eel did, beginning to drool slightly. Rena chuckled and moved to stand. "I'm looking for Princess Jasmine. Care to come along?"

The monkey "ooked" at her and hopped up and down, jumping up to dangle from her arm before swinging to sit on her shoulder, his little tail curling around her neck, tickling her. He pointed off to a side corridor to their left and jumped lightly on her shoulder.

"That way, huh?" She smiled. "I guess you know you're way around her better than I do."

"Rena!" Jasmine called, raising to her feet and hugging the surprise guest. "When did you get here? You weren't announced!"

The copper-haired woman chuckled. "I kind of…snuck in through a side door. Forgive me."

"Oh that's alright. I've had to do that occasionally myself." She eyed Abu sitting on the woman's shoulder. "I see you've met Abu."

Rena looked to the monkey looking back at her. "Is that your name? It fits you as well as that hat."

Abu sat up a little straighter and puffed up his chest before hopping down and heading for a bowl of fruit, aiming particularly for the banana's. Jasmine took her friends arm in hers and offered the brunette a seat. "Come sit with me. I'm waiting for Aladdin to get back. He should be here shortly."

Rena paused, mid-sit. "Aladdin is here? How did he…" She was cut off mid thought when a large blue man appeared, literally just  _appeared_ , in front of her.

"Helloooooo, ladies!" The blue man howled. "And aren't we looking fantastic today?" He swept past her to take Jasmine's hand, his appearance changing to that a man, still blue, with slicked back hair, beady eyes and thin mustache, his voice changing too. "My dove, you eyes are like ever sparkling starlight shining amongst the dark night that is as ebony as your hair."

Jasmine chuckled at this obvious show as the blue man kissed the back of her hand. "Oh Genie, you are just too much!"

The magic man waggled his eyebrows before elongating himself to whip around behind Rena, taking her hand as well. "And it's just LOVELY to meet a new face." He grinned a friendly grin, returning to his original form and shaking her right hand maddeningly. "Nice to meet ya, honey. The name's Genie." His face moved within an inch of her own. "And aren't you just a gem! Such pretty eyes, although, honey," He complained, standing her up and twirling her around, making her dizzy, "Those rags do NOTHING for your figure. Here, let me!"

With a snap of his fingers Rena's dress changed to that of elegant pale green silk, a short top and pants, similar to what Jasmine wore on a regular day but with long, gauzy sleeves that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. He'd even given her matching shoes and gold bangles, necklaces and head gear to match, a Peridot gemstone sat in the middle of her forehead, garnished in gold wrapping around the crown of her head. She looked herself over in awe before smiling nervously at the Genie. "I think this might be a little excessive for a simple lunch."

"Nonsense!" He chided, "You look fabulous!"

It was then that the all famous Aladdin decided to make his appearance, dressed in his usual "street rat" attire, magic carpet and a small red parrot flying in over head. "Jasmine, I…who's this?"

Jasmine held a hand to Rena. "This is my good friend Rena. I met her in the marketplace, you remember I mentioned her the other day. Rena, this is my fiancé, Aladdin."

He held his hand out to shake. "Nice to meet you Rena, I've heard a lot about you. Did you really jump off a balcony to get away from thugs?"

Rena stared at him, nodding 'yes' to his question. THIS was the guy who'd trashed Mozenrath's house? True she’d seen him once before when he’d stopped the beast Mozenrath had conjured up in the marketplace but honestly she was expecting some big, snobbish, sleazy lummox who liked breaking things not some surprisingly handsome young man any older than her! She gently took his hand which made him gave a pleasant smile and a firm handshake before moving away from her to Jasmine's side. She eyed him and his mannerisms. This was NOT what she was expecting. Such a nice young man made it very hard to hate him for destroying her kitchen. Not only that but wasn't he supposed to be captured and his Genie imprisoned? If he wasn't and neither was Genie, then where the hell was Mozenrath?

The, newly redressed brunette sat down with them for lunch, determined to find out just that information. "Aladdin, I heard you'd been traveling recently, where did you go?" She asked, grabbing some grapes to place on her plate and nibble on before Abu and the parrot, ate them all. The genie and carpet were also seated, Genie munching away on a conjured up sandwich while the carpet, strangely enough, had a cup of tea in his hand, raising it to the edge where it absorbed into the rug then seemed to vanish.

"Meh, I've been here and there. We've had an issue with Iago, here, giving away people's stuff." Aladdin chided, poking the parrot.

"What?" The bird whined, shifting his feathered arms in a shrug. "Are you never gonna let me live that down?"

Abu chunked an apple core at the parrot and soon a chase ensued which made the rest laugh at their animal's antics. "And there was thing with Mozenrath and trying to steal Genie. Oh! And I'm supposed to help guide a caravan tomorrow."

"Mozenrath?" She piped up, perhaps a little too eager sounding. "Who is Mozenrath?"

"Pfft, just some hopeless loser of a dark sorcerer who tried to imprison me in a crystal." Genie, huffed, crossing his blue arms over his chest with a haughty expression.

"He is NOT a loser!" She yelled back rising from her seat and staring the Genie down to it, and everyone else's, surprise. Rena blushed at her reaction. Why was she defending Mozenrath? "I-I mean, you have to remember. He may be evil but I'm sure a lot of hard planning and research went into what he was trying to do. All that hard work may be for an evil purpose but you have to give him credit for his effort, right?"

They kept staring at her as she sat down, Iago even whispering to his chase partner Abu that she was a looney.

"Actually, now that I think of it I suppose you're right." Jasmine admitted, and all stares turned to her.

"I am?"

"Yes."Jasmine replied solidly. "Though I absolutely appall what he was attempting to do with his power I must admit his plan was well thought out and executed. However," Her eyes narrowed. "I will NEVER forgive him for kidnapping Aladdin!"

Rena nodded, her heart beginning to pound with anticipation. "That is understandable. But, if he kidnapped Aladdin, and you're now here, I'm guessing he failed, right? What happened to him?"

The Genie laughed. "He got himself encased in his own Crystal at Dagger rock! Ain't that a riot?"

Jasmine watched as her friend paled and became fearful. "What's wrong Rena?"

Rena gave her a surprised look, like a rabbit that'd been caught munching on vegetables in someone's garden. "Nothing, it's just, that poor man…you just left him there to suffer?" This brought Genie to cease laughing. "No one should be forced into a place exiled from the world that they can't escape."

Genie, who now felt bad at making the young girl upset, laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "No worries. I'm sure some henchman of his will come along and break him out if he hasn’t gone it himself already. After all, all someone would have to do it take a hammer to that crystal and bust him loose."

The girl's expression seemed to jump from horribly upset to horribly ecstatic in an instant. "Really? That's all?" The Genie nodded, his eyes widening when the girl suddenly hugged him. "That sounds surprisingly easy. I know all magic comes with a price, I didn’t know it also came with such massive flaws. That makes me feel so much better knowing he won't have to be trapped like that forever.”

The conversation continued for another hour or so, the topic of dark sorcerers and Rena's outburst seemed to have vanished from thought. Rena however, was decidedly making plans to get Mozenrath out. She learned so far that he could not simply magic himself out of the crystal, so he had to be broken out manually. And since Xerxes had been nowhere to be found she could safely assume he was trapped in the crystal rock as well. That and just how far away Dagger Rock really was. She'd never make it there on her own so instead thought up a plan to ask the carpet for help.

As the evening wore and Aladdin and his friends planned to leave Rena asked if Carpet might be able to take her home since it was so late. Aladdin, thinking it would be alright, quickly agreed. After Genie had turned her clothes back to normal minus a few tears and patches, much to his grumbling that she looked better in his clothes then her own, Rena hopped onto the carpet and headed out into the desert, followed her orders east towards "home."

"Carpet," She asked softly. "If you don't mind, can we stop over on that ledge? I'd like to talk to you about something." The carpet said nothing but simply moved to the ledge she pointed to where she hoped down and sat, legs dangling over the edge, and patted the spot next to her, which the rug actually sat down next to her. Rena nibbled worryingly on her lower lip, sighing lightly as they looked over the sun setting on the desert sands. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Despite the heat, the grit, the hidden dangers and endlessness of all that sand…there are some moments, just like this, that really surprise you at just how beautiful something can be.”

The rug next to her gave a soft half nod, kicking it’s lower tassles as it sat next to her. She gave it a sidelong look and sighed, leaning back a bit. “I need to ask a favor of you carpet, and it’s something I want you to promise you’ll tell no one about.”

Carpet shifted his ‘head’ slightly, showing it was curious, but had her full attention. Her honey-caramel eyes looked at him softly. “I want you to take me to Dagger Rock.”

Instantly Carpet was on his feet, flailing his tassles about and pointing his threat-like fingers in various directions, clearly agitated at her request. Rena held her hands up in defense and waited for him to settle down a bit. “I know, I know, I sound crazy but let me explain before you give me a solid answer.”

She sighed and waited for it to calm down before speaking. “I don’t really know how to say this without dropping a bomb on you but, the master I serve…well…it’s Mozenrath.” She watched as the carpet started flying around agitatedly. If it could speak it was probably cussing and swearing at her for her deception of it and its friends.

“Now calm down, calm down, I know you think he’s evil, and to be quite honest you’re right, he’s not the nicest man in the world,” She paused looking back at the setting sun. “But he’s not the worst one either.”

The enchanted rectangle was looming over her, ‘hands’ on his sides, glaring down at her even though he had no eyes to glare with. Rena just shrugged. “Mozenrath’s a lot like the desert itself. He’s treacherous, dangerous to be around if you don’t know what you’re doing. His anger is vast and his temper short, and above if you’re not careful…he could probably kill you. But at the same time, just like this sunset, he can be, well, beautiful and almost…sweet.”

Rena eyed the sandals on her feet, remembering how she’d found them in the trunk of clothes he’d given her. She told the carpet of how he’d healed her burn, given her clothes and just about any other item she needed for the kitchen, even how he’d saved her from falling, probably to her death in the storage room. “Just because he’s a bad guy doesn’t mean he’s a bad GUY.”

The carpet had since sat back down next to her again, clearly still agitated but willing to listen to her plea. “Look I know it’s a lot to wrap your mind around but try to see it from my point of view. Mozenrath saved me from the desert, gave me a place to live and sleep with only the simple request that I earn my room and board. True he’s not the most pleasant person to live with but I can think of a fair few worse. Besides most of its all hot air anyway. He had his reasons for wanting to take over the world and while I think he’d going about it all wrong he’s too angry and stubborn to listen to anything but the power of the gauntlet.

“I won’t ask you to help me break him free or anything, just to get me there, I’ll figure out the rest on my own but Mozenrath, Xerxes, the Citadel…they’re the closest thing I have to a home and family that I’ve got. I just can’t sit idly by while they’re in trouble. And as for the others…please don’t tell them. I won’t lie if someone asks me outright about it but, likewise I’d appreciate it if you didn’t bring it up.” She gave the rug a small assuring smile. “I’ll tell them when the time is right, but I want it to be me they find it out from. So will you help me just this once…please?”

Carpet was still for a long moment before leaning forward, doing a little back flip midair to flatten out next to her, waiting patiently for her to climb on. She slid onto its back after which it hastily took off, heading off in the opposite direction, hopefully towards Dagger Rock.  The brunette stroked its delicate weavings softly, giving it a soft yet sad smile. “Thank you carpet, you’re a true friend.”

Carpet shuddered but otherwise kept flying, heading off into the sunset on an otherwise quiet ride.


	11. Warnings

"Ouch! Watch the hair woman!" The dark eyed man turned his head to glare at his servant who in turn shoved the comb in his face.

"Unless you want to go to bed with a wet head and have knots in your hair by morning, sit still and let me get these tangles out!" She fussed back. As he gave in and turned back around, sitting naked on the pools edge, waist deep in the dark water and crossed his arms over his bare chest, she smiled to herself at the small victory. It had been a month since he'd been imprisoned in the crystal at Dagger Rock and she'd had to break him out; things were finally starting to get back to a normal routine. "You're hair is an unmanageable mass as it is! No wonder you hide it under a turban."

"I do NOT hide my hair under my turban!" He grumbled back. "I happen to look very…"

"Flamboyant?" She offered, looking over his shoulder at him with a stupid grin.

He glared back. "Intimidating would be a more profound term."

She rolled her eyes. "If you say so. Personally I never saw the appeal of the large, poufy hat. It just makes your head look big." She paused with her combing, thinking on her words. "Then again, you DO have a big head…"

He growled, actually growled at her. "Watch your words woman. You will stop your incessant yammering or I'll magic away your mouth."

Rena sighed, curling a tendril of her copper-colored hair over her ear. "Yes, Master Mozenrath."

Mozenrath sighed in relaxation at the silence, only the sounds of moving water and the comb moving through his black hair whispering through his ears. Her hands were soft and light as they ran through his damp hair, giving him goose bumps as he leaned back against the side of the pool. This "hair washing" had become addicting. True, at first it had been a punishment, but as the month had worn on he found himself running his hand through his hair with cleaning spells just wasn't the same. He found himself demanding she wash it again, and again, until it had become a semi-weekly routine. The only downfall was the incessant yakking in his ear. Why did she always feel compelled to talk to him? To ask about him, his life with Desdane, how he'd found Xerxes, etc. and the most annoying part was he actually answered her questions. Because he answered, she kept asking.

"Mozenrath?" She inquired, pausing as he seemed to deflate in the water and groan, muttering a 'what now?' to her. "I haven't seen Xerxes for a few days. Where did you send him off to?"

"Khartoum." He answered dejectedly. "To acquire something for me."

"Khartoum? What's in Khartoum?" She pressed.

He grinned to himself, thinking over his plan carefully. "A power strong enough to defeat Aladdin once and for all."'

Rena paused, a look of shock encompassing her face. "Mozenrath you're not still serious about destroying Aladdin? Look what happened last time! You tried to steal his genie and you ended encased in your own trap!"

"Well this time I won't NEED his genie!" He snapped back at her, glaring at her over his shoulder. "This time I've got something really good. Something that will bury the city of Agrabah and wipe it from the face of the earth!"

Rena could see the look of power-lust in his eyes. Taking a deep breath she pulled her legs from the water and stood. "Your hair is all done, Mozenrath. Maybe you should head to bed and get your rest." With a wave of his hand to excuse her she darted out of the room and into the hall, her ears still ringing with his words. BURY Agrabah? It's one thing to try to destroy Aladdin but the whole city? She had to do something about this before someone ended up hurt.

Grabbing her magic key Rena headed towards the nearest door with a lock. She'd left a note tacked to his lab door stating she'd run out of a few supplies and was heading to the marketplace for more. Of course, she didn't state WHICH marketplace. Opening the door she found herself in a familiar palace guest room, quickly shutting the door behind her and undoing the magic before disappearing into the dark hall. It was just getting light, the sun rising off the horizon, turning the morning light into different shades of yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Sadly she had to ignore it else be sidetracked from her current mission.

Stepping around the corner she nearly slammed into Rasoul. Rena let out a squeak of surprise as she looked up. "Rasoul!" You startled me!"

"How did YOU get in here, street rat?" He growled, large hands on his hips.

"Personal secret." She smiled teasingly before reaching into her pocket. "I forgot! Here, I baked this for you and the other guards." She pulled out a small canvas bag. Noticing his leery eye of the bag she reached in and pulled out a cookie, even going so far as to break it in half and taking a bite to show they weren't poisoned, offering the other half to him plus the bag. "Don't eat them all now."

Tentatively he took a bite, his eyes soon lightening before finishing off the rest of the baked good. Brushing the crumbs off his beard he narrowed his eyes, nodded, and turned to leave, his mouth secretly watering for another cookie.

Rena chuckled but quickly took off once he'd turned the corner, finding her way to kitchen, chatting with the cook to make arrangements for breakfast to be made by her instead. With the cook's aid Rena was soon mixing away at batter and cutting up fruits. As quickly as she had swept in and took up cooking, the red-brunette haired woman had a feast of a breakfast made up and was helping bringing it into the dining area. Just in time for a sleep eyed sultan to come meandering in.

"Oh!" The plump little man exclaimed at such a fine looking and colorful display of eats. "This isn't my usual breakfast."

Rena nearly dropped the plate of grapes at the sight of the sultan, still in his sleep attire, eyeing the tableful of food. "Sultan!" She squeaked. "I'm sorry, I meant it as a surprise for Jasmine and Aladdin, I didn't mean…I'm so sorry…I…"

The little man chuckled at her stammering. "Quite all right, my dear. Quite alright. You seem to have a flare for cooking anyway." The sultan smiled, plopping himself on his usual plump pillow seat at the head of the table. "You must be my daughter's new friend, Rena. Am I right?"

Rena bowed, still red faced with embarrassment. "Yes sir. Again, I'm sorry for commandeering your kitchen."

The elder man stole a bite for some sweet whipped cream and his smile widened. "Oh! If all of this is as delicious this cream then by all means, have free reign of the kitchen!" He oohed and awed at her delicacies, soon having a plateful of food. He patted the pillow next to him. "Come sit with me I do so hate to eat alone."

Nervously Rena sat with the elder royal, munching on a few grapes while she cut up an apple, sneaking occasional peaks at the jolly old man. He'd seemed to take quite a liking to her cooking so much to the point that he'd managed to get mango juice all over his beard turning it a sticky yellow. Holding back a chuckle she offered him a napkin, "Here, sir, you seem to have made a mess." Pointing here and there on her face in sign of the biggest globs of fruit.

The sultan mumbled a light apology for getting carried away with his eating, cleaned himself up and handed the napkin back, pausing slightly to really take in a look at her. "You know, you remind me of someone, my dear."

Rena paused in her cutting. "Do I? Who would that be?"

"An old royal acquaintance of mine, King Balraj of the Bronze City. Have you ever heard of him?"

Rena thought for a moment. The name did in fact seem to ring a bell, but the feeling associated with it made her sick to her stomach. "Perhaps in passing trade, but not personally."

The Sultan stroked the tip of his sticky beard. "Yes, well, he wasn't the nicest of people, I must say. I bit money hungry in my opinion. I suppose it best that you don't know of him then." He paused and smiled at her. "You remind me of him because of your hair. You see he had a wife, I believe, who had hair just like yours. She was a kind woman though very quiet."

Curiosity got the better of her, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them. Although she had no real reason as to why the need to stop was present. "May I ask what became of her?"

He took in a deep breath. "Sadly she died, about the same time my wife did. She passed from complications in childbirth so the rumor goes. But it's said the baby lived, a girl, I believe. In fact, she'd be about yours and Jasmine's age now."

Rena smiled softly, blushing just a tad. For some reason, talking on this subject left an almost lead weight-like feeling in her stomach. It made her chest hurt, like that sad tale seemed to hit home in some reason even though it blatantly wasn’t about her. "Well thank you for comparing me to royalty, sir. Though a sad end to a queen, it is still nice to be compared to her loveliness."

The Sultan chuckled. "I can see why Jasmine likes you. You two are very much alike in ways." He turned his attention to the door as his daughter came into the room. "Ah, Jasmine! WE were just talking about you!"

"Oh really?" Jasmine laughed. "As my father been embarrassing me with old stories again?"

"Not yet, but he's getting there, I'm sure." Rena snickered back, passing some fruit to her friend.

"So what brings you to the palace this morning Rena?" Jasmine asked, filling her plate.

Rena cleared the nerves from her throat, doing her best to play the part just right. "Actually it's a rather terrifying rumor."

Jasmine looked up from her plate. "A rumor?"

Rena nodded. "I was in Khartoum a while back and heard Mozenrath's name mentioned." She watched as both royal's suddenly stopped eating.

"Mozenrath," Jasmine's eyes narrowed in anger. "What's he been up to?"

"Apparently he's made some big purchase there, something worth talking about, and knowing him, very dangerous."

"That young man is NEVER up to any good!" The Sultan said angrily. "What all have you heard. Tell us everything!"

Rena sighed. "Sadly that's all I know. I didn't really press or ask questions because I didn't want to appear suspicious or nosey. He's a dark sorcerer so I'm sure he has spies so I'd hate to be caught asking the wrong person the wrong questions. All I know is that he made a rather large purchase, I'm guessing something magical if it was so large, and that it would probably be delivered to him in the next few weeks."

Both the Sultan and his daughter exchanged a look between them before turning their gazes to Rena. "Agrabah is grateful to you for this information, Rena. WE are grateful."

Rena smiled. "I know he's trouble as well as how much he seems to hate Aladdin. I was worried he might hurt you and this wonderful city. I just thought you should know."

The old Sultan smiled and took her hand in his. "You are a diamond in the rough, my dear."

The three of them spent the next hour on various other topics before they finally called breakfast finished, the Sultan excusing himself to totter off to play with his various toys he, the brunette rather surprised to hear he had such a collection. Jasmine explained it was a hobby of his and she’d be happy to give her a tour but Rena declined, letting her know she had other errands to run before heading home.

She exited the palace via a small side exit so as not to make too much fuss using the big main doors, Rasoul catching her just before the gate to hand back her now empty basket, a few flecks of crumbs still trapped in his beard, much to her amusement. She spent the next hour combing the marketplace, for various spices and other items to fill her basket so as not to come home empty handed. She was halfway finished filling up a bag with apples when a familial tingling started to itch in her pocket. Reaching in she touched the key and felt the prickle of magic almost snap at her fingers, a notice, Mozenrath had told her, to let her know she was needed back home. And the stronger the sting, the faster he wanted her return.

Quickly she paid the stall owner for the apples and took off down the street, finding a decent door and heading back into the Citadel with ease, locking the door behind her. She put her items on the counter in the kitchen and searched out the master of the castle, finding him arms deep in a pile of books in the library. “Mozenrath?”

He paused to look up at her from his tableful, a mildly irritated expression shoved in her direction before the dark youth disappeared back into the pile again. “Where have you been?”

“I went to the marketplace.” She told him, looking at the various piles of books, even dodging one as it sailed off over his shoulder into places unknown. “I left a note.”

“Bah, I’m still unsure why it takes you so long there. You always insist on looking at everything!” He grumbled, tossing another book. “Where is the damned thing?!”

“What exactly are you looking for?” She asked, catching a maroon colored paperback as it flew through the air.

He grumbled something and just kept throwing things. Rena caught another one and read the front cover aloud softly. “Magical properties of planetary alignment…”

Mozenrath paused in his tossing and whirled around to look at her. “What did you say?”

“Magical properties of planetary alignment.” She repeated. “Why?”

Marching over to her the young man snatched the book from her tanned hands, looking over the cover a moment, then back at her. “You can read?”

“And write.” She nodded matter-of-factly. “How else would I have left you a note?”

He stared at her with a calculating look, those dark eyes making her a bit nervous. “Interesting.”

She blinked at him when he turned back to his pile. Scrambling for something he pulled a scroll from the pile, opened it to scan it with his eyes before handing it to her. “Read this. Any line will do.”

Confused by his command she simply took the scroll without complaint, picking a small paragraph in the second column. “Place two parts nightshade one part powdered oleander into water vinegar mixture and leave in the light of the full moon three days until it turns red. Strain and use the fluid for the ink, using the swan feather to write the name of your desired victim three times and bury the paper in a graveyard for four nights.”

He snatched the scroll away and put it up before grabbing another one. Again, he handed it to her. This one had a different writing on it, made of pictures and symbols but to her credit she gave him a confused look. “Why do you want me to read aloud the myth of Anubis? I thought you said Egyptian mythology was stupid?”

“That’s not the point,” he snapped, taking the scroll from her, this time with a glare, tossing it back on the overcrowded table. “It’s more interesting that you know how to read Egyptian as well as Latin and Sanskrit.”

She blinked at him in confusion before thinking over his statement. It was true, all three of those documents had been in different languages. “I didn’t know I could read three languages.”

The young man made a face, unsure whether to believe her. “I don’t know if you’re truly oblivious or just plain stupid.”

The foul expression she gave him amused him as he pointed to a table in the far corner. “For right now I want you to sort those scrolls and books by topic and point of origin. If you find anything on Khartoum let me know immediately.”

Rena turned and looked at the table with quite literally a mountain of papers on it. “This will take me days to sort through! How am I supposed to get anything else done?”

“Until I find that damned paperwork neither you nor I are going anywhere so I suggest you stop yapping and start working.” He snapped, opening a scroll to look it over, read a few lines, then roll it back shut and toss it over his shoulder like it was garbage. “If I had Xerxes here, I wouldn’t have even bothered to summon you, but now that I know you can read so fluently, you’ve now be upgraded to my librarian as well as my cook. Now. Get. To. WORK!”

Making a face at his unattentive person she found a straight back chair and plopped it by the desk, starting her sort. Most of the reading included spells, various potion recipes and other odd and end things. She spent the next several hours attempting to sort the books first because they were the most stackable into three categories: magical history, potion making, and miscellaneous. She had just started on the scrolls when her stomach let out a loud growl. Looking up she noted the level of the sun and that it was WAY past dinner time.

“Mozenrath, would you like some dinner?” she asked the young man across the room so deep into a pile of his own making all she could see was the top of his dark hair and the occasional scroll or paper going flying some random direction.

When he didn’t answer him she got up, being careful as to not disturb the progress she’d made and moved towards him, calling his name once more. “Mozenrath?”

The touch to his shoulder made him jump, knocking scrolls down the side of his pile and he turned to glare at her. “What?!”

“I asked if you wanted something to eat. Dinnertime was over 2 hours ago.” She told him, withdrawing her hand.

The idea of food made his own stomach grumble but it just made his attitude even more irritable. “I didn’t until now. What have you made?”

“I haven’t had a chance to make anything, I’ve been helping you sort, remember?” Rena explained, jabbing a finger towards the table.

“That’s all the progress you’ve made?!” The dark sorcerer snapped, getting from his own ‘sorting’ to glare down at her small piles of books. “I told you to sort them, not read them!”

“I’m not reading them, but some have no titles so I have to at least read the 1st page to know what pile they go into!” The brunette explained. “Its slow work but I’m done with the books and just started the scrolls. There’s not much room to maneuver…”

Without warning he slid his arms over the top of the table and knocked everything onto the floor before narrowing his gaze at her. “Now you’ve got PLENTY of room!”

She let out a cry as all her hard work went clattering to the floor in a jumbled mess. She could almost feel the tears of frustration in her eyes as she glared daggers at him. “You asshole!”

When she tried to march past him out of the room he grabbed her wrist and spun her around to look at him, demanding to know where she thought she was going. Rena swung at him, squirmed to get out of his arms with a yelp and spitfire before they ended up on top of the table, he arms pinned on either side of her head and him above her. There was a moment then, when she stopped struggling, holding her stinging expression at his irritated one.

“I am an asshole, and pretty damn big one at that. But I’m also Master of this castle, of these lands and of you!” He snapped.

“I have done everything you have asked of me!” She yelled at him. “I’ve scrubbed your floors, made your meals, hell I’ve even washed your person! I have done EVERYTHING for you and when your own orders contradict themselves I follow them even though I know it’ll end up with me like this! Under your thumb. I bet you’re just like Desdane!”

His gauntlet glowed where it held her wrist, making the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on end. His grip increased until she yelped but his words were low. “Desdane was far worse to me  than I have ever been to you. He would have had you running around her in chains in some skimpy outfit or naked just to humiliate you! He liked to slip the dancers potions that he was working on just to see what kind of reaction they’d have to it when he’d go out drinking. I’ve seen him use women before and it was never pleasant, most never survived the night! I am NOTHING like Desdane! By taking this gauntlet from him I saved you, saved everyone from being under the rule of one of the most merciless, twisted, vile men who ever lived!”

“You’re hurting me!” Rena yelled in his face. This seemed to pull him back to the situation and he hastily released her, getting off the table so she could sit up on its edge. Her wrists were red and would probably hurt but not bruise. His hands turned to fists at his side and he looked away, waving at the door.

“Get out.” He demanded, refusing to look at her. “Go get me something to eat then get out of my sight. I don’t want to see you until morning.”

Rena didn’t argue but simply slipped out of the library, ignoring the sounds of angry crashing and ripping as her master threw his tantrum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm so so sorry my edit of my chapters took this long. Honestly, I got stuck on this chapter, hence the long wait but I've decided to post it anyway! I really thank you for the kudos, patience, and loves!


	12. Trapped

Rena paced the kitchen, tapping her wooden mixing spoon against her arm. It was supposed to come today, the package from Khartoum. She'd been waiting weeks for it to arrive and concerned about what evils it contained. What concerned her more was that she'd warned Jasmine and her father about it and was surprised to find that it hadn't been ambushed or intercepted in any way from arriving. She'd thought for sure they'd have prevented it from arriving but no such word. She'd even stopped by the palace and asked Rasoul about it and he’d said that the princess and "the street rat" as he called Aladdin, were out on a job by order of the sultan.

This news seemed to ruffle not only Rasoul's feather but her own. What if something happened to them? What if Mozenrath had gotten wind of them or whatever they were up to? He hadn't said anything so she was fairly certain that hadn't happened because he'd be walking around the Citadel gloating if he had but still, the man could keep a tight secret if he wanted to.

She kept pacing until the light around her began to glow blue. Looking up into the corner of the room, a crystal she usually ignored started to flash on and off. Mozenrath had told her it was part of the security system he had in place against all things magic. This only increased her worry as she took off through the halls to find her dark overseer. She checked the lab, the bath, his bedchamber and nearly every room in the place and still could not find him. Rena did however catch a glance of a familiar flying eel and followed him through the halls until coming to a screeching halt and ducking behind a nearby wall.

He'd captured them. Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu, the whole gang, brought in chained and being shoved into one of Mozenrath's many special dungeons. Rena took in a deep breath to calm her fast paced heartbeat and dared another look. As the last of the mamluks lets, assumedly chaining up Aladdin and his comrades, and Mozenrath nowhere in sight, Rena decided it a good moment to plan a possible escape for her friends. She moved silently toward the ajar door and paused. If she helped them then they'd wonder how she was able to get into the Citadel and eventually figure out her employer. Rena knew if they found out there would go her growing friendship with the bunch. On the other hand if she left them the definitely meet their end and she'd rather them angry with her then dead.

Rena turned to walk through the door when a gloved hand grabbed at her from behind. "What are you doing?" His irritated voice asked.

She gasped at the surprised as she was whirled around to stand trial by glare but simply paled and stammered. "I'm sorry Mozenrath I was just curious as to what was in the crate you were having delivered. I saw the mamluks leaving the room and thought that's where you'd put it and thought I'd take a peak."

He glared and shook his gloved finger at her. "What did I tell you about poking around in my things?"

She raised her hands up innocently. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's just you were being so secretive about it so you know me, I couldn't help myself."

"Well tough shit because you're just going to have to wait for the unveiling for a little while longer." He smiled wickedly, turning and holding out his hand, making it glow to make the crate appear and levitate past him. "Now if you'll excuse me, someone has already called first show on what's inside, you'll just have to wait your turn." He almost cooed with delight as he levitated the crate around her, having it in front of him as he and Xerxes brushed past into the dungeon. Rena kept out of sight and watched as he gloated, finally releasing the crate, and pulling it apart piece by piece until all that was left was a swirling tornado. She gasped as the air suddenly seemed to shape itself into that of a wolf, floating solid, yet gassy next to its new master who was enjoying his monologue of how he planned to use it to bury Agrabah in the desert.

As he turned to leave, the wolf blew past, nearly knocking the breath out of Rena's lungs as it slammed the doors behind its master's grand exit. "What is that thing?"

"This is Shirako the Wind Jackal. Let's just say that at dawn he will blow all my troubles to dust." Mozenrath laughed at his own joke as he walked away, which having him in such a good mood did not bode well for anyone.

~N~N~N~N~

Rena set her master's plate down in front of him which he proceeded to feast upon. As he chowed down she turned her attention to the new addition to the room, a wolf that though lying on the floor seemingly asleep was as big as a plush sofa. "Do I need to make him a plate as well?"

"Shirako doesn't eat, he only destroys." Mozenrath mumbled his mouth full of food.

"Oh." She replied simply, reaching down gently and tentatively to pet the large beast. Surprisingly it did not growl or snap but simply raised its head and let her touch it, which was a strange sensation, like touching a ghost, if that were possible. "Should I bring any food to the prisoners then?"

Mozenrath wiped his mouth and stood from the table. "Don't waste a single grain of rice on those peasants. They'll be dead by morning anyway."

"DEAD?!" Rena asked whirling around to face him. "You're going to kill them? Why?!"

He gave her an inquisitive look. "Because Aladdin is my enemy. Why wouldn't I kill him?"

"I don't know I just thought you'd make them mamluks like them you did Desdane or something. I don't want you to kill anyone!"

His look turned to a glare. "Well too bad, come sun up they will be burned to a crisp in that room and I'll be less a few bumps in the road toward dominion over the 7 deserts."

"But Mozenrath…"

"Why are you second guessing my actions?" His volume raised a few notches as he stepped closer, he grabbed her wrist and squeezed. "Just remember that you are MY slave and will do as I say. Tomorrow Aladdin and his little band of trouble makers will be dead and I'll have me a nice fat genie to exploit so get over it!" With his last words he threw her backward tripping over her own feet and falling back onto her butt. "The next time you show such insubordination I will not be so lenient with you, Rena. Best remember that. Shirako, come!"

Rena shivered slightly as Mozenrath left, followed by his new prize beast. The look she’d seen in his eyes, it had scared her just how much those dark pools had been filled with power. Even though he hadn’t been trying, she could feel the power of the gauntlet when he’d touched her, radiating, itching to come out and play, and she knew it wouldn’t have been a fun game. She rubbed her arms lightly, getting rid of the goose bumps before standing, plotting her own agenda as she cleared away the table.

~N~N~N~N~

As the moon hung fat in the sky Rena dawned a black cloak and slunk through the halls toward the Sultan's chambers. She ducked past the nearest guards and slipped unnoticed into the old man's room. Silently as she could she moved past the vast array of toys toward the sleeping man and placed a small, rolled up note on the pillow next to him before slipping back out. As she made her way back toward the door she pulled her key, turning it to make the door open to her storage room and stepping through before relocking it again. As she released the key from the lock she turned and leaned her back against the door with a sigh of relief. One task down, one to go. Since she couldn't get to Aladdin and friends until dawn the least she could do is warn the sultan about the attack.

She hid the key away and slipped out of her room again, still in black she moved through the halls towards Mozenrath's room, avoiding the mamluks if at all possible. Upon arrival at the closed doors to his chamber she sunk to her knees, peering through the key hole. Both Mozenrath and Xerxes were passed out in bed and Shirako lay curled up on the floor next to him.

Daintily, she pushed the door open, only Shirako raising his head at the noise. He growled a bit, which sent a chill up her spine but, as she lowered her hood, he stilled, simply watching her. Rena put her finger to her lips as she slipped in and looked around. She tried a few drawers in his nearby desk and even his nightstand but alas, no keys. As she moved, Shirako watched her silently, keeping a vigilant eye on her. As Rena passed in front of him one last time she looked to him, whispering, "You wouldn't by any chance know where he keeps the keys to the dungeon Aladdin and the others are in do you?"

To her surprise, the wind beast nodded, quickly standing and moving lighter than air toward the door, Rena following. She continued to follow all the way to the lab where she paused in the doorway. Shirako entered and pawed at a nearby drawer, his paw phasing through the wood in a ghostly fashion. "Can't you get them and bring them to me without destroying the whole workbench?" The wolf shook its head.

Rena tried to step through the entrance but was shoved backwards by a magical force. Sighing she called Shirako back, patting the ghostly creature on its. "I thank you for your help, Shirako, but I can't get in, I'm banned from his lab. And if you destroy anything he will know. I guess I'll have to find another way to free my friends then."

Shirako let out a low whistling whine, as if to apologize for not being of more help and flew off; supposedly back to Mozenrath's side. Defeated, Rena returned to her room, hoping that after her master woke and left, she'd have enough time to free Aladdin and her friends before he destroyed their city.

~N~N~N~N~

With a crash from inside the castle, Rena woke with a start, jumping out of bed. She ran towards the noise, knowing full well it came from the dungeons where Aladdin and his friends were kept only to find the door busted off its hinges and the sounds of escaping in full swing. Only after catching a quick glimpse of them crew flying off into the morning dawn did Rena let out a sigh of relief.

Quickly she ran back to her room and grabbed her key, turning it in the lock on her door to open into the alley just outside the marketplace. She moved through the early morning crowd to the main gates of the city, seeing off in the distance that the Sultan and his most trusted guards were setting up for their battle to the end. She snuck past toward the group and noticed the sultan preparing himself for battle. As he continued to dawn his armor Rena grew concerned for the old man, worried that should he fight he'd get hurt.  _'Jasmine would never forgive me if he was killed by Mozenrath and I knew about it.'_

Silently she snuck past him and snagged his decorated horse by the reins, leading him, albeit difficultly away from the group, holding an apple snuck from her kitchen, as encouragement to keep moving. As she pulled the horse through the gates she heard commotion as Mozenrath had appeared and began his attack, ducking back to make sure she wasn't seen. She was delighted as Aladdin and the rest appeared, seemingly in the nick of time, and tricking Shirako into leaving. As she watched the wind jackal vanish in the distance she smiled, knowing that he'd be happy at the ends of the earth and as far away from people who'd choose to use him for evil deeds as he could be.

Rena's smile faded however as she watched Mozenrath be thwarted by "anti-magic mittens" and be brought towards the gates. Aladdin and the others chuckled triumphantly as they chided the dark sorcerer with promises of trial and imprisonment. She ducked and remained hidden as the passed knowing full well she'd have to wait till the coast was clear to find a way to 'rescue' her master…again.

 


	13. The Escape

Spin, spin, spin, until it tipped and fell over, the cup rolling on its side, only stopping as it bumped into Rena's fingers. She sat it up right, slightly on edge and spun it again as she sat in the kitchen, deep in thought.

"I have to rescue Mozenrath and Xerxes." She mumbled to herself as she rolled the idea in her head. Her brown eyes shifted to a plate of cookies she had made: delicious, innocent, with just a drop of sleeping potion for flair. The plan she'd come up with was simple enough: get into the castle, give the guards the cookies, snatch the keys and get out. Nice and easy. But what if's kept rolling around in her mind. What if not all the guards got cookies? What if the potion didn't work? What if she was seen helping Mozenrath escape?

…What if Aladdin and Jasmine figured out that she worked for Mozenrath?

Rena flicked her wrist and got the cup spinning again as she sighed and pondered more on her dilemma. She looked out the window to the setting sun. The moon would be but a sliver tonight, a perfect night to go escaping with just enough darkness to get out by but still plenty dark. If she was going to save her master, it would have to be tonight.

The sound of the cup she'd been spinning falling over the table and crashing to the floor broke her out of her deep thoughts. With a determined look on her face she rose from her seat and grabbed the plate, dumping the cookies into a basket. Grabbing her key and her cloak, she headed for the nearest door.

The moon hung high in the sky, the hour late but Rena was wide awake as she crept through the palace. Whilst visiting last she'd overheard that the cook had had to put a new lock on the pantry door to keep the Sultan from "sleep snacking" as they called it which had made a perfect new entrance to the palace. What she had not expected was to overhear two guards in the kitchen grabbing some bread and water muttering something about the prisoner in the dungeons. Slinking through the darkened halls she followed the guards, keeping farther back until she saw the side door that no doubt lead to the dungeons, it seeming to be made of a darker wood than the rest of the palace, very foreboding and almost promising misery to anyone inside.

She watched as they disappeared through the door and waited till all was quiet before slipping across the hall and pressing her ear to the door. She could hear muffled mutterings and a wooden door opening and closing with a bang but nothing more. With a deep breath for courage she placed the basket on the floor just outside the door and knocked on the door loud enough for those inside to exclaim loudly.

Diving back into shadow she watched and waited as the door flew open, a rather angry looking guard peering about before turning, almost missing the basket completely. She held her breath as he looked down and picked up the basket, peering inside before a gluttonous grin came over his face and he disappeared back behind the door. Rena hid in shadow, waiting a few minutes to give them time to eat before, tentatively, reaching for the handle to the door and disappearing into the darkness that lead to the dungeons.

Rena tucked a wisp of her copper colored hair behind her ear as she took the stone steps silently down deep under the palace until the burning light of torches caught her eye. Lightly she took a peak around the corner to find her two guards slumped over themselves asleep, one with a half eaten cookie still in his hand. She slipped past them, grabbing the keys to the cell doors and peering inside each one. "Mozenrath?"

There was silence before a soft yet shrill voice piped up from one dungeon door over. "Rena?"

"Xerxes! Is that you?" She exclaimed excitedly as she moved to the correct door, peering through the bars in the door, down into the pit of a dungeon she could see a squirming, snake-like figure moving about.

"Down here! Down here!" The eel cried.

She hushed at the creature. "Keep quiet Xerxes, you'll wake up the guards!" She fumbled with the keys until at least the door opened, gliding hastily down the steps to the slippery creature to undo his bindings. "Where's Mozenrath?"

The eel, shifted and wiggled as his body became free, flying over to a blackened lump lying on the ground. "Here! Here!" He whimpered.

Rena moved to her master's side and lifted the cloak a bit; revealing a ghostly pale face and dark curls, eyes closed and so still he seemed almost dead. "Mozenrath!" She called out at him, shaking him slightly. "Mozenrath wake up!"

His mouth opened slightly, his voice faint. "…Rena…"

"I'm here, Mozenrath. You need to get up!" She told him louder.

"…Serena…" He said louder.

Rena froze, looking down at him, wondering if she'd heard him right. It wasn't her he was calling for. Who was Serena? She got closer, leaning over him. "Moze, you need to wake up." She shook him harder. "Wake up, Mozenrath!"

With a slap to his face he woke with a start. "What the hell?" He looked for his assailant, locking gazes with his servant and glaring daggers at her. "How dare you slap me you worthless little…!"

Without warning she shifted forward and covered his mouth with her hand. "Ssshh!" She hissed. "Do you want to wake the guards?"

He paused and went still, Rena removing her hand slowly from his scowling mouth as he did so. "You struck me."

Rena rolled her eyes as she rummaged through the ring of keys to find the one that unlocked his shackles. "I know, I know, and you'll punish me later for it I'm sure but right now we need to get out of here. I don't know how long that sleeping potion lasts when cooked into baked goods."

She helped him to his feet, holding his arm as he took a few unsteady steps towards the door. "Xerxes, go keep an eye on the guards through the bars." She watched as he slithered away before shifting one of her master's arms over her shoulder, supporting his weight as he shambled with him up the stone steps. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"They took my glove." He growled, hiding his boney fingers in his cloak. "What took you so long?"

"It took me a while to get acquire a sleeping potion."She said simply. "They're harder to come by then I thought."

"There are several in my lab, that's no excuse." He said as she opened the door and the slipped past the sleeping guards, making sure to close the door behind them to seem less suspicious.

Rena glared at him as the moved slowly up the steps. "It's hard to get into your lab when  _someone_  but up a barrier in the doorway so I can't get in!"

He was silent for a moment before grumbling. "You still took too long."

By the time they reached the top of the stairs, Mozenrath was walking better on his own. Shrugging off his servant's aid he turned the latch on the door, opening it just a crack to see out into the still dark and shadowed halls. When he decided it was clear he opened the door wider, stepping out into the hall, Rena and his minion not far behind. "They took my gauntlet to the royal treasury. We are not leaving without it."

"Which way is the treasury?" Rena asked, looking up at him while keeping her ears open for signs of trouble.

Again, he was silent before turning to her. "Do you have your key with you?"

"Of course. That's partly how I got here, why?" Rena asked, handing it to him.

"The key was made from the magic of the gauntlet. I tied a spell to it to make the stone on it glow to find its way back to its original magic." He took the key and smiled wickedly. "Magic always wants more magic."

Holding the key in his solid hand he shifted left and right, the stone on the key glowing slightly brighter in the left direction. He motioned for her to follow and the disappeared into the dark shadows, following only the glow of a key. They moved through the palace quickly and silently until at last they found a set of golden doors, a guard at each side.

"What do we do now?" Rena asked, worried.

Mozenrath reached into his robes and pulled a small stone from inside; bring it to his lips and breathing in. As he blew across it a cloud of thick, black smoke appeared, blanketing the entire hallway. Within an instant he was gone from her side and the sounds of a fight could be heard followed by two loud thuds as the guards hit the floor. As she moved through the smoke a hand grabbed hers, pulling her through it, shutting the doors, and into a chamber so bright she had to avert her eyes as torch light made the gold inside glisten and shine.

"There!" Mozenrath exclaimed, pointing to his leather gauntlet sitting on a rickety table in the center of the room. Xerxes began to move towards it but his master caught him by the tail. "Not so fast. This is way too easy."

He took a moment to assess the room, looking here and there before delicately stepping closer and closer toward the gauntlet. As he made it to the tableside he paused, looking it over before swiping it off the table. Alarms began to blare and he bolted back to the door. "Get the door!"

Soon they were running through the halls, hiding from guards as they could be heard shouting nearby and coming closer. As they hid in the darkness Rena could see Aladdin flying overhead on his carpet, Mozenrath squeezing her arm painfully hard as he yanked her through the hallways.

In their escape guards could be heard doming up from behind them. Mozenrath banked a hard left down a corridor only to find a dead end. "Now what?" Rena asked.

Mozenrath shifted back against the dead end wall and moved his hands over the stone and inlays of gold and marble. As he did he pressed down on a small decorative image of a snake and there was a soft _click_. The corridor end slide past and they both darted inside, the door quickly sliding closed behind them.

"Too close. Too close!" Xerxes muttered as he flew overhead and down the tiny, dim-lit hallway.

"I agree, Xerxes." Mozenrath heaved, catching his breath from all that running. "Much too close for comfort." He looked down at the cloaked woman beside him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

She looked up at him. "Yes." She replied simply. "Were you worried?"

He glared at her. "Of course not, why would I be?"

"Because you still haven't let go of my arm."

They both looked down at his grip on her which he let go of as if she were plagued. They held each other gaze for a moment or two, hers a look of worry whilst his was a look of surprise before the familiar glare returned and he turned with a huff, marching down the corridor.

They traveled until they reached a door, Mozenrath opening it tentatively to make sure all was clear before entering the room. Inside was a darkened room, filled with weird contraptions and smelled of spices and magic.

"This room reminds me of your lab." Rena said, looking about, noticing the fine layer of dust about. "But no one has been here in a while."

"This was Jafar's lab." Mozenrath said simply, picking up a vile and looking at its liquid contents.

"How do you know?"

Mozenrath chuckled. "Because I've been here before, obviously."

Rena gave him a look of surprise. "You have? When?"

"When Jafar was still alive. Desdane knew him." Mozenrath said a sting of anger in his voice before pocketing the vile and turning to her giving her a criticizing look. "How else do you think I knew how to get through that secret door?"

Rena thought about it for a moment and, for all practical purposes, this statement made sense. "You have a point." She paused and watched as he finally took some time to slip his gauntlet on, seeming to visibly relax as he slid it over his boney fingers. "Now what?"

He turned to her and motioned to the door, "Now, we go home." He headed back toward the door.

"What about Shirako?" She asked, following behind.

With a yank and a squeak he had her slammed up against the cold stone wall, pinned between a glowing hand and a piercing stare. He glared her down as she tried to shrink away from him. "That…is… _none…_ of your business." He said softly, his voice shaking with rage.

Rena nodded vigorously, holding up her hands in surrender. "Okay," she said softly, letting them rest gently on his chest, both to sooth and to brace against him should he attack. "Okay, Mozenrath, I'm sorry for asking out of line."

Mozenrath lowered his gaze, letting his head hang as he bit back his anger. When he was finally calm again she straightened himself, his normal demeanor returned. "Let's go home." He said simply, putting the key into the lock and turning it, opening the door to his home in the Citadel and walking away.

Rena watched him leave in a hurry; the rays of sunlight beginning to peak over the horizon and lighten up the sky. Closing the door and relocking it she paused for a minute to take a deep breath, laying her head against the cool wood and closing her eyes for a moment. With a deep breath to calm her she straightened and followed after him.

"Mozenrath!" She called, chasing after him down the maze of hallways. "Mozenrath wait!"

He stopped in his rapid pace and spun on heel, giving her a tired and infuriated look. "Now what?"

She stopped a few paces back and couldn't help the smile that came over her face as her 'normal' Mozenrath was finally starting to peak through. "It's morning already." She paused as he seemed mildly surprised, actually looking out a nearby window as if to double check her accusations before turning back to her. "Would you like some breakfast?"

He gave a look and opened his mouth, raising his pointed finger as if to tell her off but paused as, at that moment, his stomach growled an answer for him. A bit defeated, he let his arm go limp at his side as he straighten and marched past her, pausing to stare her down menacingly. "That's you  _job_  isn't it?"


	14. Screams in the Night

_Someone was screaming…_

" _No! No! Don't take him away, please!"_

_A child was crying…_

" _Aaran! Run!"_

_Screaming, someone was holding her back…_

"… _rena…rena…" Someone was calling her name…_

"RENA! RENA!" Someone  _was_  screaming her name.

Rena's eyes bolted open to see Xerxes, pale as a sheet, hovering over her face. "Xerxes?!"

"Master in trouble! Master dying!" Xerxes kept yelling twitching every which way like a rat trapped in a cage. "Need help! Need help!"

Rena sat upright and quickly got to her feet. "What do you mean he's dying? Where is he Xerxes?"

Like a shot, the flying eel zipped through the air and out the door, the copper-haired girl running after him. As she ran she could hear screams resonating from the halls, an eerie echo of a tormented soul. She followed him to Mozenrath's chambers where she found mamluks guarding the door, the zombie faces seeming nervous showing even they were concerned.

As she opened the door she could see a dark figure thrashing and wreathing on the bed in the room, screaming in agony as he held his right arm, the flesh purple and black more so then usual.

"Mozenrath!" She exclaimed, quickly moving towards him but dodging as an object, a book, sailed past her head, just missing her.

"GET OUT!" He screamed, still clutching his arm, letting go only to throw more things at her. "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"

Despite the random objects being vaulted at her head Rena moved closer still to the bed. As she did so her breath caught in her throat as the stench of rotting flesh filled the air. The smell, most foul, coming the stump of flesh that shifted to bone of his right arm. On the bed was black with blood turned rancid and rank, small chunks of flesh here and there from where it had fallen off his arm.

The curse of the gauntlet was worsening.

Without much thought and a burst of energy she shot to his bedside, tearing at the sheet, yanking it out from under him; tearing it to shreds.

"What are you doing?! I told you to leave!" He screamed at her, grabbing for her only to reel back in pain.

Rena took a strip of the sheet and grabbed at his rotting arm. "I will once I get the bleeding stopped."

Mozenrath reeled back, "Don't touch me! I don't need you!"

She reached again. "Yes you do, I can help you!"

"NO ONE CAN HELP ME!" He screamed in her face, eyes filled with pure hatred which made her freeze in place for a moment or two. She held his gaze a moment before narrowing her eyes right back at him and grabbing his stump of flesh, ignoring his outcry as she started to quickly tie and bandage it, the wound seeming to instantly soak with blood. The smell made her want to vomit but she kept wrapping even when he clawed at her arms and shoved at her, demanded she release him and leave.

As the minutes passed he began to still, becoming limp on the mangled bed and simply watching her as she kept tearing up strips and removing and rewrapping his hand once the bandaging became too soaked. When the smell had subsided and the bleeding had stopped, Rena finally stopped to evaluate the situation. The room was torn to shreds, torn sheets and strips all over the bed and bloody rancid strips all over floor, pillows were torn with their feathery insides on every surface. On the bed a sweat, drenched, half naked man, fading in and out of consciousness with his fishy minion fluttering to and fro above him.

"Master better?" Xerxes whimpered, looking down at the pale and bandaged man.

Rena slipped a curl of hair over ear and sat up some, wiping sweat from her brow. "Yes, Xerxes. He should be fine now."

"Curse getting worse. Much worse…"The eel whined, looking nervous. "Master use too much magic too quickly."

"I see…" She said softly, looking the slender man over silently. He was exhausted, finally passed out and flailed out like a fish. She carefully got up and moved about the room, cleaning up what she could for the night and making plans for the rest of it tomorrow. Grabbing an extra blanket she covered the sleeping man, placing a hand to his forehead which was cool and clammy to the touch. She wiped his face clean of sweat and sat in a chair next to his bedside, keeping an eye on him through the night.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Mozenrath woke with a start, jerking awake, his eyes shot open. He looked about frantically, letting recognition sink in that he was still in his own bedroom, though several things were different from the way he'd originally left them such as the bedsheets were torn to shreds, wads of them in a large bowl on the floor stained with blood, several pillows were destroyed, the room seeming to be covered in a gentle layer of goose down, and a woman, familiar, dressed in her usual sleeping tunic, slumped in a chair by his bed fast asleep.

He sat up, holding his head with his right, boney hand, taking a deep breath. The memories of the night before…of extreme pain and anger coming slowly back to him. He looked down at his arm, staring hazily at it.

Shifting one knee up he moved to lean back against the cool wall that his bed was pressed up against, eyeing his boney appendage. Gently, he undid the wrappings Rena had tied on it, revealing skin attempting to heal fading into bruised and rotting flesh and shifting then into bone, the creamy white of the marrow showing he'd lost at least two inches of flesh that night. At this rate, his whole arm would be gone within half a year easy.

In frustration he threw the blood encrusted wrappings across the room, the end of it flapping in the breeze like the tail on a kite.

…he remembered kites…

Laughing, playing, a smiling child looking at him happily, calling his name to come and play.

He looked down at his rotting arm in putrid disgust, muttering softly. "One must make sacrifices in order to become great."

Rena shifted in her chair, sighing lightly. Mozenrath watched her sleep for a moment.

She'd come to him. When he was in such dire pain and there was nothing she could do still, she'd come and refused to leave. He could still see her face, determined and unyielding as she tore his linens to shreds and bound the wound despite his demanding her to leave.

She really was a horrible slave…

The dark haired young man shifted to sit up, letting his bare feet touch cool stone. He took it slow like usual for morning after a "rotting session" as he liked to call it but this time, surprisingly, he wasn't nearly as lethargic and weak as he usually felt. He moved to a standing position and found himself quite solid on his feet which brought a smirk to his face as he moved over to his servant and gently lifted her out of her chair and into his arms and deposited her on his bed. She remained asleep and seemed to curl up in the spot he once occupied, nuzzling into it like a kitten in a sunny spot for an afternoon nap. He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face as she sighed again, happy in her dreams. It was there that he left her, grabbing his work tunic and waking Xerxes quietly before heading off to the lab.

He'd kept her up all night with his torment, the least he could do was let get sleep in…until he got hungry that is…

 


	15. The Sand Witch

"He's working too hard again…" Rena muttered as she put some flowers in a jar and placed it on a table in her room. Although technically she was still sleeping in the storage closet this tough servant girl and cleaned out enough space for a small table and a chair in which to put her oil light and write down her thoughts at night. She had tried doing so in the kitchen, but it was semi-creepy with zombie-like mamluks constantly roaming the halls in the dark of night as silent as, well, the dead.

She shifted around a few flowers, each of which she'd preened from Mozenrath's greenhouse room in the Citadel and smiled at the lovely arrangement of purples, reds, and yellows. She'd never seen any of these flowers before she'd come to the Citadel and had even pestered Mozenrath into giving her a book on plants in order to better understand what each one was. What had surprised her was that the book he'd given her had not only handwritten notes but extra pages written in the back of new species Mozenrath himself had discovered while apprenticing under Desdane. Though he had said nothing when he shoved the book in her arms, she could tell by the detail in his writings that he'd read this book from cover to cover and then some and would be furious if something happened to it.

With a smile on her lips Rena left her room and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a tray of food and a drink before heading toward the lab. The daily life had returned to normal after the whole ordeal with the wind Jackal and escaping from Jasmine's palace. Things had settled into a usual routine with no one in the palace suspecting her of having anything to do with the escape although it was a likely possibility of Mozenrath having help getting out of the dungeon. Rena continued her visits to the palace to visit with Jasmine for company when Mozenrath became to irritating to be around as well as pleasant company for the shopping in the marketplace. All in all, things were a happy norm. Even the fact that she still had yet to recover any memories of her past did not cross her mind all that often save when she'd wake in the morning after nights filled with dreams but even those were kept at bay by simply writing down what she'd dreamed about and saving it to look at on a later date.

As she neared the door to the lab she could hear the usual hiss and crackle of mechanisms and alchemic workings going on behind the door, the smell of spices and herbs could be traced from all the way down the hall and especially the tingling of magic would make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She relaxed her grin into a pleasant smile and kicked at the base of the door, her hands full with the tray. She heard shifting and mutterings inside and the door latch turn.

"Mozenrath I made you l…" Rena paused mid sentence as a woman answered the door, her blue water eyes staring into Rena's brown ones. The woman flipped a chunk of blackened-brown hair over her shoulder and leaned against the doorway, a smirk on her face, arms crossed over her tattered green vest and sand covered peasant shirt. "I…uh…who?"

"The servant girl, I presume?" The woman asked smugly, giving Rena the once over. "Well aren't you a pretty one?" The woman eyed the food. "Oh! You even brought us lunch, how sweet!"

As the woman reached for the tray Rena pulled back. "Who the hell are you?" She snapped angrily. "And what are you doing in THIS place?"

"I'm working, duh." The woman said, rolling her eyes before extending her hand. "I'm Sadira; I'm a Witch of the Sands."

Rena's eyebrow rose. "You're a Sand Witch?" Rena looked her over. "You don't look like a witch."

Sadira's eyes narrowed her hand dropping back to cross her chest. "Sorry you think that, but I am."

Each woman stood in face off, silently evaluating each other as either friend or foe. "This is Mozenrath's lunch." Rena said simply.

"Oh? Then why don't you come in and give it to him?" Sadira asked smugly.

Rena's eyes narrowed slightly. "Sorry, Mozenrath doesn't like me to disturb his concentration so I'm not allowed in the lab."

"Oh! So  _you're_  the one who this barrier spell is against."The dark haired woman chuckled. "Must suck to be you. Why don't  _I_  take this lovely meal to Mozenrath since  _I_  obviously am allowed in here."

Before Rena could protest, the other woman grabbed the tray and wrenched it from her hands, stepping back into the room. "But I…!"

"And by the way," Sadira cooed. "From now on…bring two plates. He and I are going to be spending a  _lot_  of time working in here."

With that the door slammed shut in the copper-head's face.

Rena was seeing red. She had never been so infuriated by another woman in her life. Letting out a hiss of frustration the turned and marched off, pausing only to grab her watering and heading to the greenhouse. "The  _nerve_  of that woman! Coming into  _our_  home and acting all high and mighty like she owns the place!" Rena fumed. "Well she doesn't! Not in a million years!"

Turning the corner she entered the greenhouse, grabbing a slab of raw meat and hurling toward the large Venus flytrap growing in the center of the garden who snapped it up midair. "There is another woman in this palace!" She exclaimed the vegetation. "I wretched witch playing lab partners with  _your_  Master! Isn't there anything that can be done about this?!"

The creature let out a grumble and lowered its big, toothy head to which Rena petted its velvety skin until it began to gurgle in an almost purring fashion. With its reaction to her she smiled. "I know you are more limited than I am in moving, but I'm just as limited in ability. Although, if I could, I'd feed her to you in a heartbeat." The creature let out a growling sound of approval before Rena stepped back and began to pull up weeds and other unyeilding plants, taking out her frustration on the unwanted of the garden.

What would Mozenrath want with a Sand Witch anyway? Was he up to a new scheme to rule the world? Rena pondered these as she worked in the flowerbeds until dinner, leaving just as full of questions as she was when she came in, if not worse off. She cooked a large meal to squelch her frustrations but was twice are infuriated to see Sadira at the dining table when it came time to serve the meal, Sadira smiling like she enjoyed causing the misery and Mozenrath not even seeming to notice her presence. In fact, he didn't say a word until the meal was over and Rena began to clean the dishes away.

"Rena, wash my hair tonight." He said simply, picking his teeth with a sharp chicken bone.

"But I have to finish cleaning the kitchen and…" Rene began before Sadira cut in.

"I'll wash your hair Mozenrath." Sadira offered, smiling softly at him, leaning on the table a bit in a sultry way.

The dark sorcerer just sat there and stared her in the face, flicking his eyes to Rena momentarily before resettling his gaze and leaning forward toward her. "You want to take my servant's chore? Fine." He grinned smugly, " _You_  do the dishes while Rena gets my bath ready."

Sadira's smile faded into a scowl as she stood up and 'humph'd' her way to the kitchen.

Rena, stunned at his words simply gave a little bow and rushed off to start the water for the bath, now even more confused. He had shot down her offer and had insisted Rena wash her hair, why? What was his game? Sadira's was plain as the nose on her face but Mozenrath's? He must really like her scrubbing his scalp to turn down those blatant advances…

She paused. That was it! If he so bluntly turned down Sadira's offers, maybe he wanted nothing to do with that witch after all! That had to be it! With newfound vigor, Rena arranged her lotions and potions accordingly and cleaned up the place trying to keep thinking along the more positive logic she'd just discovered.

At the sound of his approaching footsteps Rena gathered all she needed for the bath, keeping turned away as he stripped and got into the water with a loud sigh of exhaustion. She got into position on the sill behind him and looked him over as he his head back against her as usual, eyes closed and face soft. Even upside down she could see the dark circles under his eyes and paler than usual complexion. Gently she ran her hand over his face. "You're working too hard again…"

"When I want your opinion I'll ask for it." He grumbled, cracking one eye open a bit to glare at her.

Rena chuckled. "You sit like that long you'll fall asleep right here in this water." She pushed him forward a bit. "Come on, sit up and let me get this greasy mess you call hair cleaned up."

He grumbled but complied slowly slumping forward, head sagging down and, surprisingly, going very still for several moments.

"Mozenrath…" She griped, becoming frustrated. "Mozenrath?" She called louder. When he didn't respond she shifted to grab a bucket of cold water, pouring it over his head, soaking him.

"YEOW!" He hollered, whirling around and splashing her with water. "What the hell woman?!"

"Oh good, you're awake again." She leaned forward and looked him right in the eye. "If you fall asleep in this bath and drown I will  _not_  be held responsible in heaven for your death! You sit right so I can get this over with and  _then_  you can go to bed!"

He growled but said nothing, crossing his arms over his chest in an almost childish pout. "Just shut up and get this over with."

With a silent eye roll Rena began to wash her master's hair, scrubbing his scalp softly until he relaxed again and leaned back some against her, resting his arms on her knees as he sat between her legs in front of her. "So who is Sadira?"

Mozenrath cracked an eye open from where he had them closed and relaxing. "She's a Sand Witch."

"I got that part but why is she here?"

He shifted slightly in her lap. "She's…assisting me with a project I'm working on."

"Something to do with sand, I'm guessing?" His grunt was answer enough. "How did you meet her?"

"None of your damn business now stop asking questions." He grumbled.

"Sorry. Just wanted to know if she's going to stay here long, that's all."

With an exasperated sigh the young man turned in his seat and looked up at his servant. "Why so many questions about Sadira? What? Don't like other women in your space?"

Rena opened her mouth to protest but paused. "Actually, no, I don't like her in my space. The Citadel is my home, I don't want some other woman showing up and making me get kicked out of the one place I have to live!"

Mozenrath was silent for a moment. "And what if she and I were in a relationship, huh? What would you do then?"

Rena's face grew pale for a moment then red as anger burned threw her. With a turn to her side she pulled another bucket she had set up for rinsing and poured it on his head making him yelp. "If she's so important to you then let her wash your hair! Then I would never have to wash your hair again!"

With that she scrambled out of the water and ran from the room, leaving him a soap covered mess, calling out her name to come back. When she didn't he chucked one of the buckets across the room and blasted it with a bolt of magic, enjoying it being blown to smithereens although it didn't make him very much better. Still frustrated, he submerged and finished washing himself, all the while grumbling about his incompetent servant girl can't take a joke.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter Sadira! I know a lot of people canon her and Mozenrath but I'm sorry, he's Rena's so back off. [laughs]
> 
> I'm sorry, please don't leave me and keep reading she gets love too I swear!


	16. Master's Permission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter takes a dark turn very quickly. No body dies in this flick (it's Disney after all) but we get pretty darn close.

"Hmm…they look awfully good." Rena said, eyeing the pears sitting before her. "But I don't know if my Master would like me to pay this much for a bunch of fruit."

"But look at their color, smell their sweetness!" The vendor cooed. "Why I guarantee they will melt in the Master's mouth!"

The young woman rolled her eyes at him. "Oh come on Raton. You said that last time about the apples you sold me and they went rotten within a day!"

The overweight man chuckled nervously, looking around to make sure no one was really listening. "Now, now, Rena. I told you they wouldn't last long…"

"You said they wouldn't last long at the price you were selling. You  _knew_  they were getting old and sold them to me anyway! You're a liar and swindler!"

Raton started to sweat as the woman's voice raised in anger, several people turning their heads at her words. "How about half price for the pears then? To make up for the apples, no?"

Rena narrowed her eyes at him, before reaching for a pear, "I dunno…"

As she reached for one, that same pear was snatched away by a hand and disappeared behind a cloaked face of the man next to her, startled at his sudden appearance. The figure sniffed loudly before tossing the pear back on cart. "This one is brown and racid on the inside. They are not worth your money…"

The vendor stared at the figure, mouth ajar with his eyes shifting from amazement to anger. "How dare you accuse me of selling rotten fruit! I would never do such a thing! I'm an honest salesman, I tell you!"

Rena turned her gaze from the figure beside her to the vendor, snatching a pear from the cart and breaking the pear in two, it squelching in her hands, turning to brown mush almost instantly. "These ARE rotten!" She chunked the fruit at Raton's head. "How dare you try to sell me rotten fruit! I'm never buying from you again!"

At the sight of the fruits rotten insides, Raton quickly turned to run only to run headfirst into a guard. "We've heard the whole thing. Selling spoiled merchandise is against the law in this city, come with us!"

Rena smiled as she watched the crook of a vendor be dragged away turning her gaze from him to the cloaked figure only to find he was gone. Searching the crowd she saw him a ways off and chased after him. "Wait! Sir wait!" She called after him, grabbing his arm and pulling slightly to get him to stop. "I wanted to than…"

A woman screamed as the hood of the cloak fell, revealing a green snout and long, yellow and green ears that twitched at the sound. Yellow eyes widened in horror as one human hand and one clawed hand reached back to bring the hood back over his face. "Monster!" The woman screamed, pointing at him. "Monster!"

The man/beast bolted, running for the nearest alleyway as people scrambled to get out of his way. Rena chased after him, hollering for him to wait as she could see guards starting to swarm the marketplace. She ran through the alley he'd disappeared in pausing in confusion half way down to find no one there only to let out a squeak as a hand covered her mouth and claws yanked her into a darkened doorway. "Don't make a sound." He whispered, going very still as a bunch of guards ran by.

Rena went still and said not a peep until the alleyway was quiet and the beast released her. She turned to him and looked up into his irritated gaze only to say the first thing that came to mind. "I'm sorry."

The beast's ears twitched in agitation as his yellow eyes narrowed. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you in trouble. Are you alright?"

"…I'm as fine as I can be seeing as how I must leave this city now thanks to you." He said irritably, peaking out into the alley before stepping out and quickly moving away from the marketplace.

"Wait, please!" She called, following after him. "Where will you go?"

"Why should you care?" He grumbled, "And why does it matter to you?"

"Because it's my fault you have to leave." She nearly ran into him as he stopped and turned to glare down at her. Rena cleared her throat and continued. "For all I know you may have had important business here and now I've ruined your chance of getting that done. Please, accept my apologies."

He stared down at her, his cloaked face covered in a questioning look. "Why are you not afraid of me?"

She looked back at him. "Pardon?"

"Like that woman back there. Most people just scream and run at the sight of me. How are you so brave?"

Rena couldn't help the smile that came over her face, she shifted her weight placing a hand on her hip. "Believe it or not, sir, I've seen scarier things then you on a daily basis working for my master. And besides, you're not that intimidating up close."

He growled at her insult but the growl of his stomach rumbled over the one from his mouth. He looked down at his belly, placing his claws over it in surprise.

Rena smiled brighter. "Tell you what. Come home with me. I will make you a fine meal and we can call it even for getting you in trouble around here, alright?"

He eyed her but said nothing as she held out her hand to him. "I'm Rena." She said.

The beast eyed her hand for a moment before lightly returning her smile and taking her hand in his own human one, shaking it lightly. "Amal."

~_~_~_~_~_~

Mozenrath sat at his desk and dropped drops from one test tube onto a pile of black sand from outside. With a few hisses and smoke the sand on the Petri dish twitched and began to swirl shift on its own.

He'd done it. Months of work and he'd finally gotten his experiment to work! With a smile on his face he brought the dish up to his face, chuckling wickedly. "Oh yes…just wait until Aladdin sees this…"

The flashing of a red crystal on the wall caught his eye, pulling from his gloating to smile a different smile. "Hmm…it seems the help is home from shopping." He muttered to himself getting to his feet, putting the moving sand away in a hidden shelf in the wall before undoing his work apron and removing his other glove. "Let's go see what's for dinner then."

He left the lab smiling to himself. He couldn't help it, he felt almost giddy that things were going well for a change. That Sadira woman had actually been some help in her spell castings (although he would never admit it out loud) and his experiment was flawless, his servant would serve him his favorite meal, wash his hair and for once he would be able to get a decent night's sleep. Everything was going so…

Mozenrath's thoughts stopped as fast as his feet did as he turned into the entry of the kitchen. There, holding a large bowl and mixing spoon was a green beast wearing Rena's spare apron over his red tunic. The beast looked up at him, the little smile gracing its face suddenly vanishing as well as his mixing coming to a stop.

"Who the hell are you?!" The dark sorcerer demanded, raising his glowing gloved hand towards the creature.

"That's Amal, my new kitchen assistant." A feminine voice called from the pantry hall, pushing past the swinging doors. "I found him in the marketplace this afternoon isn't it great?! Now I can have helping keep this place clean and meals made without having to bug you about heavy lifting!"

With a snap of his fingers, the brunette haired woman vanished, the bag of flour dropping to the ground, bursting all over the floor. Amal's eyes widened, whipping his head back to the young man as he too disappeared. "Oh shit…"

Rena yelped as the back of his hand made contact with her face so hard she fell to the floor, the taste of blood in her mouth and tears in her eyes as she looked up at one, very,  _very,_ angry dark sorcerer.

"How dare you…" He sheathed. "How  _dare_  you bring such a creature into my home without my consent! Do you really think you can get away with such things in  _my_  palace!"

"Please," she pleaded as she scooted back on the floor away from him, suddenly feeling very small and very afraid. "I meant no disrespect…"

" _Disrespect?!_  That's all you ever do is disrespect me!" He hand glowed as a whip appeared in it, raising his arm. "Talking back to me!"  _CRACK!_  "Being so pushy!" _CRACK!_  "Always acting like you are my equal when you're nothing but my slave!" _CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!_

He paused to catch his breath, the whip vanishing only to reach down to the bleeding girl and, grabbing her by the neck, raised her to her feet and then even higher, choking her. "You brought a stranger into my home without my consent like some  _whore_  bringing home her lovers. What next, hmm? Will you bring over vendors to stock fruit in the pantry? Seamstresses to make you dresses? Why don't you be _useful_  and bring me someone important like Aladdin next time!"

The red in his eyes faded a bit as the body he was holding went lifeless; the hands that had clawed at his hand around her throat had gone limp at her sides. He quickly loosed his death grip on her neck and let her down till her feet touched the ground only for her body to continue down and forward. Without thinking, he move to catch her, watching as her head rolled back and around like a dolls.

"Rena?" He called, shaking her. "Rena, wake up."He shook her again, harder. "Answer me damn it!"

The anger and faded from his face as it shifted from rage to helplessness. He laid her flat on the floor of the room. "No no no, you need to wake up. Wake up Rena! RENA!" He yelled, shaking her shoulders, tapping her cheek repeatedly finally lowering his ear to her agar lips.

She wasn't breathing.

Mozenrath's heart began to thunder in his chest as panic set in. He looked at her face, her cheek swollen from where he'd hit her, bleeding cuts from where the whip had struck her, and the bruise in the shape of his hand black and blue around her neck. "What have I done?"

Every fiber of his being wanted to run. Run away and just leave her there. To get him as far away from death as possible. The only thing keeping him there was the fact that suddenly his legs didn't seem to want to work.

He didn't have to move as he was soon shoved aside his eyes catching a glimpse of a dark green fur looming over her body. The creature was shifting her body around, raising her head slightly before pressing his mouth to hers.

"What are you doing?! Get away from her!" Mozenrath shouted angrily only to silence by a snarl and glowing yellow eyes filled with anger. A streak of fear shot down the young man’s spine and he scuttled backwards on the floor away from the beast and lifeless girl before him.

"I am  _saving_  her you idiot!" It growled moving back to his work, pressing one of his large ears to her chest. "Her heartbeat is faint, she needs air."

The pale young man watched as the beast kissed his servant, blew air into her lungs and made her chest rise and fall until at last Rena coughed and sputtered, jerking and gasping for breath, rolled over on her side into a little ball.

The beast, Amal, picked her up gently, holding her tiny shivering body in his arms as he stood gazing angrily at Mozenrath. He growled deep in his throat before turning to leave the darkened room the way he came pausing only to speak. "Whatever insult she committed against you has now been repaid. I will stay until she asks me to go…and for your sake, these marks better not leave a single scar."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, close to enough to make even the mouse squirm a little. -_-


	17. Healing

Rena woke to the familiar face of Amal's yellow eyes, a pleasant smile gracing his face. "Amal…" She managed to croak out before cringing at the extreme tightness of her throat. She began to cough violently, the sound ghastly and her head swimming from pain.

Amal shushed her and handed her a ladle of water. "Drink this slowly and don't speak. The cool should help to relax your throat some." She nodded and raised the large spoon to her lips, letting the cool water flow down her tight throat. "You have had a rough evening, all because of me. Your master nearly killed you because you kindly brought me in so I have decided to stay until you are well."

The color faded from her face as his words sunk in, gently touching her throat and finding it tender to the touch. Tears began to form in her eyes as her heart felt heavy in her chest. She could feel the sting of the whip still tearing at her skin without having to look at her arms or legs. The image of his rage still just behind her eye lids, she’d never seen him so angry.

"Now, now, don't cry! It will make your throat close up even worse." Amal chided softly, without much thought he scooped her up and into his arms, pressing the small woman into his beastly form. "Do not shed tears over this, it wasn't your fault." Rena shook her head furiously, waving her arms about until he took her hands in his own large claw. "It was out of kindness that you brought me here. It was your master's fault for flying off the handle to such a degree he would cause you physical harm."

Honey-brown eyes looked up into glowing yellow and they simply watched each other for a moment, each assessing one another until at last, Rena nodded in agreement. She silently laid her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat until her eyes fell shut in sleep.

Amal put her back on her bed in the storage room before slipping out of the room to let her rest, leaning back against the now closed door. This was all his fault. If he hadn't come she wouldn't have gotten hurt. People always got hurt when he was around, even if he wasn't directly involved. He shifted forward and punched the wall in frustration. But this time, if he hadn't been there, she would have died. If he hadn't followed her scent, followed it through the maze of corridors in this god forsaken place to that room where she lay dying because of that bastard master of hers.

He growled in anger. He'd make that bastard pay somehow, someway.

A scent wafted past his sensitive nose making his eyes shift to slits. He turned and yanked the door open to see the said bastard standing over her, his gloved hand glowing around her neck.

"Get away from her." He growled.

Mozenrath lifted his gaze to the other male, voice as flat as his expression. "No."

"I said get  _away_  from her, what are you doing to her?!" Amal roared, crossing the room in two quick strides and had the dark sorcerer dangling off the ground by the front of his shirt.

"Let go of me you cretin! I must finish what I was doing!"

Amal looked down at Rena, noticing the bruise around her neck nearly gone before flicking his gaze back to the man he had a solid foot off the ground. "Why? So you don't have to look at what you've done? You are pathetic. You nearly kill her and now you're in here trying to erase the evidence!"

Mozenrath glared back and started to squirm, clawing at the beasts green arm. "You don't know anything about _anything_  now release me at once!"

Amal slammed the smaller man into the wall making a few boxes shake, growling low. "I should choke you like you did her, maybe then you'd think twice before hurting an innocent woman!"

"It was her own fault! She shouldn't have brought you here in the first place!"

That was the last straw. Amal raised his free hand and balled up his fist, pulling back when two arms curled around his one.

"Stop." Came a faint voice, brown eyes holding his gaze. "Put him down."

"But he hurt you, he  _deserves_  this!" Amal growled.

"Please Amal…let him go."

He held there, for a minute, just looking at her, searching her face for a reason, any reason, to let the bastard go. He didn't find one, but put the man down anyway, sighing exasperated. "Fine." He grumbled. "I'll be outside if you need me."

Amal left the room, shutting the door behind him, all parties knowing he wouldn’t be very far away. Rena got to her feet, bruised, bloody, and shaking. Mozenrath stepped closer to her, mouth open to say something when flinched, watching his right hand. He paused mid step, realization hitting him like a thunderclap.

He knew that look. He himself had been in the receiving end of a beating much like this one more than once in his life. He knew the fear, the constant watch for that twitch, that trigger that might get him hit again. Putting his hands down by his sides he looked away from her, at anything but her. “I…uh….I’m not…I’m not very good at…”

“Stop.” Her word was singular, commanding, making his stammering cease. “Look at me.”

With a sharp inhale he looked at her. Despite his beginning to heal her one eye was still red, filled with blood and her cheek purple and bruised. Her tunic and dress were torn, shredded by the whip and bloody from the cuts and gashes he’d sliced into her skin. Her fists were shaking at her sides and the only thing seeming to keep her upright was pure anger and will. “Look at what you did to me.”

“Rena…I…” He started, but her hand held out stopped him.

“I know you are a dark man, a cruel man. I have seen the scars you carry, given to you by an ever darker, crueler man. But I want you to look at me and remember every mark, every cut, and every bruise and know that no matter how much you beat me I will never be like you.” Her voice as shaking as she spoke, tears filling her eyes and her lips trembled. “Nor will I ever forgive you for this.”

His expression turned cold and his shoulders sunk just a bit. Those dark eyes seemed to hollow out and the whole room seemed to grow darker as he spoke. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, nor should you expect me to apologize. But you broke my trust; you brought a stranger into my castle without my permission and for that you deserved a punishment.”

“Did I deserve this kind of punishment?”

He looked to the ground for a moment before looking back up into her eyes, shaking his head softly. “No, you didn’t.”

“You nearly killed me, Mozenrath. I know you’ve threatened me before with such an end but I honestly never thought you’d do it.” Under her breath she added. “I had hoped you were better than that…”

“Well I’m not, now am I?” He snapped, his usual anger returning. “I am a dark and cruel man, just like you said and you know what? What I did to you is just a tickle compared to the years I served under Desdane. There were days when he’d strap me down and beat me until I was hoarse just to hear me scream. He broke my arms and legs and made me crawl around like a worm because I refused to sample his latest poisons. I survived ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times worse than how I treat you and yet you still call me cruel? He beat me so I could take the pain of failure, poisoned me so I could learn survival, broke me so I’d come back stronger. He made me who I am today, dammit!”

She watched him grit his teeth, bear them like some puffed up beast and pace like a snarling animal in a cage. Without a word she took the few steps across the small room and slapped him hard across the face. The look of disbelief could have been almost comical if not for the solemn question she offered. “Which hurt worse, Mozenrath? Desdane’s hand, or mine?”

He went quiet for a moment, letting the immediate anger of being hit fade as his mind mulled over her question. Desdane had beaten him, broken him, mind, body and soul to the point he’d become numb to such pain, expecting a daily dose of it. The old man had demanded perfect submission and was hell bent on snuffing out any opposition. Rena was the opposite. She was kind and gentle; full of smiles, soft touches and reassurances. Even when angry she radiated the will to help and encourage. When she opposed him it was because it was for his own good, not to undermine. Even bring that beast into the citadel he knew she’d done it only to help, not to hurt but the Desdane in him saw only betrayal, an attempt to leave him.

He’d gone too far and he knew it.

 Without saying a word took her by the shoulders and pushed her back some, making her sit on the edge of her bed, taking her by the chin and turning her face. She squirmed in his embrace, "What are you…?"

"Just shut up for once, will you?" He grumbled, raising his gloved hand to her throat and letting it glow, ignoring how she flinched at the sight of it.

The warm feel of magic spread through her as the pain began to recede from her neck and throat. By the time he pulled his hand away the pain was completely gone from that area. "You," She asked as he took her arm where a mark from the whip was and touched it, "You're healing me?"

He said nothing just healed place after place, only occasionally asking if it still hurt. Finally he took her face in his hand, letting that warm glow enlighten the bruise on her face where he'd first struck. She couldn't help but smile and lean into his hand a little, closing her eyes lightly.

When he was done he looked at her, turning her face this way and that with his fingers. They stared at each other a moment or two, just a hint too close than was probably necessary. “Don’t count this as an apology, I already told you you’re not getting one. And I expect to see my face in the floor it shine so well now that you have a new assistant."

Rena nodded, “Yes Mozenrath.”

As he moved to leave she thought of something. "Wait!"

He turned around and gave her a bored look, exasperated. "What now?"

She stood, moving slowly up next to him. "You’re still not forgiven but here," She said, shifting up slightly to kiss him on his red cheek from where she'd slapped him. "I hope it feels better now."

Without a word he turned, yanked the door open, and disappeared down the hall.

 


	18. Don't Towels go in the Bath hall?

Sadira sat at the counter with her usual pout on her face, sighing for the umpteenth time. Finally, exasperated, Rena turned around. "Can I help you with something, Sadira?"

The Sand Witch blinked her dark eyes at the other woman. "No not really."

"Then why are you here?" Rena asked, stirring a boiling pot of something.

"No reason in particular, just wanted to see what you were up to."

Rena roller her eyes and turn back to face the sitting woman. "Well…this is it."

Sadira sighed. "I know, it's so boring here what with Mozenrath gone and only you to talk to."

"Sorry, can't help with that. Guess I'm a boring person. Why don't you go find something to do to entertain yourself then?" Rena drolled.

"Such as?"Sadira chimed, raising her head in peaked interest.

Rena tapped her spoon against her chin. "How about, be anywhere but here?"

The Witch frowned and stood from her seat. "You are one mean bitch, Rena."

The copper-haired woman couldn't help the smile that graced her lips. "I know, but after the attitude you gave me the first day, the feelings mutual I'm sure."

Sadira paused on her exit of the kitchen and turned to smile back. "Yeah I guess so."

The Sand Witch watched Rena shift from her right foot to her left for the tenth time in the last few minutes. “Is your leg bothering you or something?”

“Yeah, I twisted it the other day when Mozenrath…um…”

“Nearly killed you?” Sadira suggested irritatedly, arms crossed over her chest.

“Yes, that.” Rena waved a hand towel at her. “I didn’t realize it was hurt until it became sore a day or so later so I’ve had to try to stay off it more often than not.”

“Honestly, I don’t know why you’re still here with him! He nearly killed you and here you are making his dinner!” Sadira scoffed. “I’d have buried him up to his neck in sand and left him to the scorpions and sun if he’d tried that with me.”

“I don’t condone what he did, nor have I forgiven him but he has done his best to stay out of my way and leave me be since then, which I appreciate.” The brunette admitted, putting the lid on her pot to simmer and wiping her hands. “He is not a nice person, I knew this when I met him, but I am obligated to serve him until he releases me so here I stay. Besides, something tells me that this is where I need to be right now so for now, I’ll stay. Besides, I’ve burnt his dinner on purpose enough times this week I think I’m on the brink of starting to get even.”

Sadira just made a face and picked at her nails some more, looking bored.

Rena leaned against the counter. "If my company isn’t enough to entertain you then why don't you check on Amal for me? He should be almost done cleaning the bath house by now."

Sadira rolled her eyes. "Sure, fine, whatever."

Sadira moved down the maze of hallways toward the bath deep in thought. She stopped by a few days back to check in on Mozenrath and possibly ask him out to dinner only to find he'd left the day before with the black sand he and her had been working on and not telling Rena where he'd gone or when he'd be back. Rena found that normal,  _she_  found it frustrating. Since then she'd stuck around the Citadel in hopes to meet up with Mozenrath again but he still wasn't back and the week was almost up.

Rena had been left in charge of the place and surprisingly had let her stay when Sadira had asked. Since then she'd gotten into the habit of following Rena around and watching, if not helping her with certain things like feeding the giant Venus flytrap, cleaning the extra rooms, cooking, and even joining her in the bath. It turned out Rena was a pretty solid woman and other than not being very athletic, could hold her own around this place by herself. She was a lot like her other friend, Jasmine, in that way but she was worried to tell Rena about her. Sadira didn't know how Rena would react to the fact that she knew and was good friends with a princess when she herself was a lowly orphaned street-rat turned Sand Witch. And then there was Amal…

From out of the baths came the soft sounds of scrubbing; Sadira peaking around the corner to watch the green beast-man scrubbing about on the floor with a wiry brush in his hand. Rena had told her that Amal was once a man who was under a curse after leaving what he called the "El Katib."Rena has also told her that the more good things he did the more human he would become. Sadira hadn't really believed it until during the other night, the first night of the full moon, Amal's left hand and arm had turned human to match his right as well as his body standing upright more and his feet shrinking to the size of a humans. To make him seem even more human, his voice had gone up an octave, not longer a deep baritone but a normal, male tenor that made all the difference to him. Though he was still green and his face still that of a beasts, since then he'd offered to be extra helpful for Rena, feeling invigorated by his newfound humanity and was off doing odd jobs around the palace, not seeing much of either of the women since.

At first Sadira had thought that Amal was sweet on Rena. The way he was constantly appearing out of seemingly nowhere to check in on them and ask about how she was healing up one might jump to that conclusion. But then there’d been the fight. The topic in question: Mozenrath.

Amal absolutely dispised Mozenrath, he had the moment he found Rena dead on the floor after the dark sorcerer’s last tantrum. The man beast had almost demanded they leave the moment Mozenrath had vacated the citadel, saying they should run and never look back but Rena had apparently refused. Since then Amal only showed up for meals and to refill his cleaning supplies otherwise he stayed away from Rena and even farther from any mention of Mozenrath.

As she watched him she could see him smiling and even humming to himself lightly as he scrubbed, sitting up bit to wipe the sweat from his brow. He definitely looked more human, his eyes less bulgy and yellow but happy none the less. In fact, sitting there on his knees, tunic gone and only his pants remaining, Sadira's heart began to beat a little faster and her face flushed. Quickly she turned away and hid back out in the hall, taking a deep breath. What was wrong with her? She was acting like, well,  _attracted_  to him. But she couldn't be, it wasn't possible. The last man she'd liked well enough was tall, handsome, charming, and, well, Aladdin. True Mozenrath was cute enough but she didn't think anything serious of him, except maybe for a possible fling, but  _Amal_?

Turning back around she peaked into the baths to see him getting to his feet, walking more human-like despite the backwards knees, now that his back was not so hunched and feet so large. His gaze flicked up to the hall and smiled, waving as he saw her. "Good afternoon Sadira. I thought I smelled you out there."

Sadira blinked, stepping out of the hall and entering the baths. "You could smell me?"

Her mouth opened in awe as he shifted some awkwardly in front of her, tapping his nose. "The nose doesn't lie, Sadira."

"Are you blushing?" She asked, stepping closer, getting up in his face.

"N-no. Of course not." He stammered, suddenly avoiding her gaze. "Just overheated, that's all."

"Uh huh…" She grinned, getting a wicked idea. She sauntered around him, shaking her hips a bit as she moved into position. "Then maybe you should cool off."

Just one good shove he was in the water, arms flailing for a moment before he stood up, head and tops of his shoulders above water. "What was that for?!"

"Just for fun. You said you were hot." She stood, stamping her foot in laughter. That is, until she step square on the scrub brush and went crashing into the water as well, everything suddenly going black.

When she came too there was flat on her back staring up at a worried green face, panting heavily above her. She tried to sit up some but a sharp pain pulsed through her head and the room began to spin. "Ow…what happened?"

"You hit your head on the edge of the pool when you fell in, are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah," She grunted, touching the tender spot on the back of her head. "My head just aches a bit."

She could see the relief cross his face, his head hung a bit. "Good. I was really worried there for a second."

"Why? I would have been fine, I'm sure." Sadira's smiled, her heart beating a little faster. "It's sweet you were so concerned about me."

"No, you don't get it." He said, looking her in the eye. "I…well that is…um…"

Chuckling she wiped a few droplets from his fur. "Yeah, actually, I kind of do."

His fur seemed to bristle out from underneath her fingers, like the hairs on a cat do when it’s startled. He looked at her, holding her gaze for a minute before smiling back, shifting over some and scooping her up in his arms. "You'd better take it easy with that bump on your head."

"Yeah, I agree. But your fur is soaked. Better dry off before you catch cold. Head towards my room, I've got fresh towels in there Rena brought me yesterday."

Amal paused. "Why'd she put towels in your room? Towels go in the bath house, not the rooms."

Sadira thought for a second. "You don't think she had this planned from the beginning did she?"

The both stood there for a moment before looking at each other, smiling, and walking off down the hall towards fresh towels.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, a certain servant was still stirring up something in a boiling pot, humming to herself, smiling over a job well done…on the soup I mean…naturally…

 


	19. Dreary Determination

It had been a long day, Amal and Sadira had scampered off somewhere together by her magic and Mozenrath was out trying to take over the world taking a few mamluks (and a lot of barrels with him) and the whole place was quiet. She had finally had time to sit back and relax for a change. She made herself a couple new dresses and tunics, mended all of Mozenrath's clothes, washed all the sheets and linens, sorted several tables worth of scrolls and books, scrubbed, reorganized the storage room and had even had time to read a whole book before dinner. She'd made her favorite, chicken and rice when the door there was a SLAM! Sighing she put down her spoon and moved back from the table, heading straight for the lab.

Even from down the hall she could hear things being thrown around and angry swears coming from inside. The door opened just enough to see Xerxes being hurled from the room, a knot tied in his tail making him fly awkwardly. Rena whistled at him lightly and he came flying over, letting her unknot his tail. "I'm guessing the plan didn't go well?"

"Not well. Not well." Xerxes pouted, upset.

"What happened?"

Xerxes hissed. "Aladdin win. Master loose. Master mad."

More crashing and louder swear could be heard through the door. "I see." She looked back at the flying eel. "You took a while getting home, why so?"

"Gauntlet lost. Aladdin take. He take!" Xerxes cried.

Rena's mouth fell open. "Mozenrath lost his gauntlet?! How…wha…"

The door to the lab flew open and out came a flying table, it crashing against the far wall followed by a very dirty, very pissed of sorcerer. He turned his gaze to his servant and minion, the latter one flying off with a cry of terror from the look he was giving them. "What do you want?"

Rena cleared her throat nervously. "To offer you some dinner."

"I don't want any fucking dinner!" He yelled, his hands turning to fist as he hit the door hard with his boney appendage, shaking with fury.

"So what Xerxes said is true, you did lose your gauntlet."

In blind rage he swung at her, Rena easily dodging as he fell to his knees. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, his lips were also dry and cracked, his face thin. "I didn't lose it! He took it! He stole it from me!"

She was at his side, noting he felt lighten than usual, attempting to help him up only to be shoved away. "Mozenrath, I know you'll get it back…"

"JUST SHUT UP!" He yelled pounding his hands on the stone floor beneath him. "I hate that man! I hate him! HATE HIM!"

Rena knelt there next to him as he shouted, blatantly ignoring the tears of frustration that hit the floor underneath that veil of dark curls. She delicately touched him, rubbing his back soothingly as he shook. "It will all turn out eventually, you'll see. Now come on, get up."

As she helped him to stand he collapsed again, his eyes glazing over for a moment before coming back to focus. "Mozenrath, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine." He grumbled, attempting to stand again.

"No, you're not." She pulled his arm around her shoulder and helped him to stand, walking with him down the hall toward his chambers. "You need rest. You look like you haven't slept in days."

"Three days to be exact. We had to walk home."

She stared at him surprised. "You walked from Agrabah to here in 3 days?! That's incredible!"

"No, from the cave where I was  _supposed_  to have Aladdin and the rest of his little gang of goody-goodies trapped while  _I_  ruled Agrabah!" Mozenrath fell slightly, holding onto the wall with his free hand. "But they found the way out. The damn magic carpet showed them the way out!"

Rena opened the door to his chambers and helped him through the door, sitting him on the edge of the bed while she pulled off his sand coated cape and formal wear. She listened to him complain about how it all went down and the plan had been fool-proof and simply nodded as he went on. "I'm sure you'll get them next time, Mozenrath."

He glared at her. "Of course I will. I have had three days to come up with a plan and I fully intend to make this one work! Once I have the lost power of Shamash I will be invincible!"

"Shamash?" Rena looked up at him, curious. "Who is Shamash?"

"The lost city of the sun. Buried by the desert sands I will find its lost power and hold the power of the sun at my fingertips." He smiled holding up his hand only for the smile to fade into anger as he noticed only boney fingers and not a leathery glove in its place. "But first I  _must_  find a way to get my gauntlet back."

"No."Rena said pushing him back to lie down. "First you must get some rest."

He pushed back, attempting to stand. "I must do research."

Determined, Rena used her strength and overpowered him, pinning him back against the bed, staring down at her master. "You need sleep. And I'm going to make sure you stay in this bed and get some of rest even if it means staying in here all night long."

He glared up at her, dark circles under his sunken eyes he uses what little strength he had left and jerked to the right, rolling them until he was above her, pinning her instead. "What makes you think I'll ever take orders from the likes of you?  _I'm_  the master of this palace and I'll sleep when I want to sleep!"

Rena shrugged her shoulders, or did so as much as she was able being pinned and all. "Fine, stay up all night if that is what you want. You don't have to listen to me; I'm just the servant after all. Maybe you should stay up after all, since you're already so strong and awake. Go ahead and get up, march yourself over to that lab and do some research!"

He growled. "I told you not to tell me what to do!"

"Then what do you want, Mozenrath?" She snapped back.

He clenched his eyes shut, each of them burning with exhaustion, his limbs were shaking having to hold him up for so long. "I…want to…" He looked down at her…each of her cause there was now two. "You to…to…" And then, THUMP! Right on top of her, he collapsed, dead to the world.

Rena pushed at him and managed to get him moved to the side enough to breathe again but he was dead weight and so damn heavy! Frustrated she called for Xerxes, knowing he had some strength in that little body of his but he never showed (having found the dinner she'd made in the kitchen and fell asleep on the plate after eating it). Stuck under a hundred pounds or so of dark sorcerer, Rena lay there, frustrated, turning her head to see the sleeping face of one very tired young man.

"Aladdin, you're starting to make even  _me_  angry…"

 


	20. What Does He Think of You?

"What do you think my dear?" Amal asked, holding up the small gold, gem necklace for Sadira to see.

She looked it over and tapped her chin. "Fake."

Amal frowned. "Pity, you would have looked lovely in it."

Sadira blushed, taking the man-beasts arm, smiling up at his cloaked face. "Why do you insist on wearing you cloak up still?" She asked, tugging the hood down "Your face is all but human again."

True, Amal's face had returned to his human self but he looked unsure. "It the ears." He said simply, touching the pointy tips of his human ears. "They're still not quite right."

The Sand Witch chuckled, stroking them. "I think they look cute."

"Ahem!" A voice called. "If you two are done fawning over each other, I'd like to finish the shopping?"

The pair looked at their friend. "Oh come on Rena, we're just having fun." Sadira chimed as the other woman rolled her eyes and walked off. "We need to find her a boyfriend."

Amal humphed. "With Mozenrath in the picture, I don't think he'll allow one. He barely allowed me in Citadel much less a visiting love interest."

Sadira nodded then froze. "What if it was  _Mozenrath_  as the love interest?"

The beast-man burst out laughing, almost doubling over, and holding his stomach. "I don't think so, Sadira. That man couldn't fall in love, not in a million years!"

"Well I think it's possible!" Sadira said stubbornly, putting her hands on her hips.

"What is?" Rena asked, making the other woman jump.

"I, err…finding a decent price on jewelry in this marketplace! I'm sure there's  _someone_  around here that has good prices. Don't you Amal?" She asked, jabbing her elbow into his side.

"Oh! I…uh…yes, of course dear." Amal agreed.

Rena eyed them warily but said nothing. "While you two were busy joking around I got what I came for. We can go back to the Citadel now."

Sadira sighed, "Must we? I was having fun."

The brunette shrugged. "Stay if you like but you'll be taking the long way home. Mozenrath needs me back as soon as possible."

The three headed towards a nearby alley and used the key to get citadel, coming back through the storage room Rena called home. As they moved into the kitchen, Amal grabbed some rice and began to clean it for dinner while Sadira sat in her usual spot at the counter, watching both him and Rena work.

"Rena, what do you think of Mozenrath?" Sadira asked.

Rena blinked, surprised at the question, Amal nearly spilt the rice all over the floor. "What do you mean? As a person or a sorcerer?"

"No, no. As a man." Sadira leaned forward in anticipation.

Rena blushed slightly and thought. "Well, he's a wicked man. Some would call him evil but, to me at least, he's not truly evil. Despite how much Desdane would have wished him to be."

"What do you mean?"

Rena pulled some vegetables out, cutting them into small chunks. "You’ve heard of Desdane, and how he was when he was alive. Now throw a little boy into that mix. Mozenrath himself has told me stories of how that man used to beat him, experiment on him just because he was bored. It’s no wonder he is as twisted as he is now because no one knows just what all that bastard did to Mozenrath growing up, not even he can be sure. As for what he wants he seems driven and determined to succeed, not letting anything get in his way. He hates to fail at anything. He'll spend days, weeks, even months trying to get things just perfect. He's also very accustomed to getting his way and is spoiled by his powers which make me think that, in his past, there was a time when he had nothing."

Sadira looked at her surprised. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't really know, it's just this gut feeling. He acts like a man who's earned everything he has in some way or another, even if it wasn't the most lawful or kindest way of getting it. A man born into privilege wouldn't act like that but a man, who's lived with nothing and had to fight for everything, does." Rena smiled softly. "I have seen a kinder side to him though. Like when he's in his library, he lets Xerxes curl up in his lap and pets him while he reads for his research. Or when I get hurt, he heals my wounds."

Amal stood up then from his cleaning. "But last time you were hurt it was because  _he_  was the one that hurt you. He nearly  _killed_  you!"

Rena's face fell. "I know that but he hasn't raised a hand to me since and trust me, I've seen the look in his eye, there have been times when he's wanted to." She looked down at the carrots she'd been cutting and smiled softly. "But there  _are_  times, very rarely, when he is almost…normal. I don't know how else to explain it."

Sadira gave her a bored look. "Very…informative. Maybe one of these days you should ask him what he thinks of you and see what he says?"

Rena nearly dropped her knife at the question. "Why would I ask him that?"

The Sand Witch shrugged. "Just out of curiosity, I guess. See what he says, it may surprise you."

Each young woman gave each other a look of curiosity before one asking the other to peel potatoes, effectively dropping the subject.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The door burst open to the storage room and someone was shaking her awake. "Five more minutes, Mozenrath…I just went to bed."

"Wash my hair."He demanded, arms crossed over his chest, his right arm still absent one leather gauntlet. "Get up now and prepare the bath."

Rena sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Can't you do it just this once?"

"No! I need you t…what are you wearing?" He suddenly asked making her look down at her clothes.

"Oh…uh…Sadira bought it for me in the market the other day and I can't seem to find my other usual tunic so…" Rena blushed at being caught in something so "frilly." Sadira had bought her a white linen night gown with little bits of lace at the neck and sleeves and a gauzy overlay starting from just under the bust where it synched by a string in the back to where it ended just above her knees.

Mozenrath looked her up and down one more time just for good measure, ignoring how dry his mouth suddenly felt before shaking his head and grabbing her hand, pulling her behind him. "Draw the bath; I need you to wash my hair now!"

"Alright, alright!" She fussed from behind him.

He practically threw her inside the bath hall once they turned the corner and arrived, stripping and getting into the water as she readied all she'd need for the job. Ignoring his demands to "hurry it up" she sighed and sat at the edge of the water, letting him back up into position in front of her, her legs spread apart with his arms resting on her knees. Closing his eyes and relaxing as she began to pour soaps and oils in his hair and massage his scalp. "Ah…much better."

"Why did you need me to do this all of a sudden?" She asked, yawning and looking down at him.

"None of your business, I just wanted it done."

"Oh come on Mozenrath. You dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night and you won't even give me a straight answer?"

He sulked, sinking in the water some. "…It helps me think, alright?"

She paused in her massaging. "It does?"

"Yes, now get back to it!"

Sighing she continued to scrub, letting him submerge before putting oils in his curls and rubbing them in, deep in thought about her conversation with Sadira earlier that afternoon.

"You're quiet for once." He noted, sitting up and looking back at her curiously. "Are you ill? Don't get me sick."

"Huh? Oh, no I'm not sick. I was just thinking." Rena assured his weary gaze. He relaxed back into position. "Mozenrath…what do you think of me?"

He went stiff for a minute before asking. "Why do you ask such a stupid question?"

Rena shrugged. "Just curious, that's all."

He turned to look at her, shifting so he was kneeling in the shallow water and placing his hands on either of her thighs and holding her gaze steady. "I think of you as nothing more than a servant and I am your Master."

Rena has a sinking feeling in her gut. "Oh. Is that all?"

He growled but turned back around in his seat. "No. You're too damn nice and far too trusting. You're annoying in that you always seem to be around when I need you and frustrating when you're not. You blatantly disrespect most of my orders and sass mouth me whenever you can. You are fucking obnoxious!"

Instead of tears, as he expected he instead heard laughter bubbling up from behind him and before he could turn to see if she'd lost her mind arms came around behind him, wrapping themselves around his neck as a warm body pressed against his back. Rena's head came to rest on his shoulder, leaning against his head slightly. "That's what I thought you'd say."

He stiffened at her closeness, unsure of how to proceed. At her words he just shoved her off, pushing away to dive into the pool to rinse away the oils as well as the feeling of her against him. When he resubmerged, she was finishing up sorting the oil bottles, clean clothes and a towel laid out for him already. She looked at him, still waist deep in water and gave him one of her usual smiles. He watched her stand, the white gauzy nightgown making her look like some divine creature that had no place being in such a dork world as he lived in. As she headed for the exit the words spilled past his mouth before he could stop them. “I’m sorry.”

She paused, her copper-waves of curls shifting over her shoulder as she turned back to look at him, confused. “What?”

“For what I did. For…nearly killing you.” He looked away from her for a minute feeling almost, vulnerable and blatantly awkward. “I’m….sorry…”

“I thought you said you’d never apologize for that?” She asked, suddenly feeling just as vulnerable. He didn’t answer, just starting getting out of the bath which made her turn to avoid seeing anything. He was halfway dressed when her voice made him jump. “Thank you, Mozenrath.”

He turned and watched her leave, tying his sash around his waist. She hadn’t said she forgave him, honestly he didn’t expect her to. He HAD nearly killed her after all. But she acknowledged his apology, which was one more apology than he’d ever expected to give in his life.

Mozenrath redressed in his usual linen pants for evening but left the tunic off, needing that cool night air to help clear his head. He made his way back to his room, Xerxes already asleep in his little bed on the table nearby, tossing his extra clothes on the floor and flopping back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

_What was she to him?_

Her face flitted through his mind, smiling and laughing and it made his chest wrench and hurt. He hadn't felt that kind of pain in a long, long time, since before Xerxes, before Desdane, before being sold as a slave…he could barely remember it now. He'd tried to block it out, it hurt too much. He closed his eyes and all he could remember were people screaming, telling him to run, calling his name… _that_  name…

He rolled over and looked out at the room, seeing the chair in his room he could see Rena sitting in it sound asleep watching over him. He rolled to the other side and looked at his sheets, seeing her face lying asleep next to him from when he'd passed out and left her stranded in his bed and they'd argued about him being so tired. And she'd been right…she always seemed to be right and that pissed him off more.

Mozenrath rolled back onto his back and looked at his boney hand, touching the bones. Remembering that she'd touched it many times and never shied away from it like so many had before. Also that it felt empty and naked without the gauntlet. Twisting his bones into a fist he sat up. "I  _will_  get my gauntlet back if it's the  _last_  thing I do."

 


	21. The Visiting Sprite

Little eyes peaked in through the open window down into the darkened room, lit only by a stray beam of moonlight. Down below seemed nothing special, boxes and bags of stuff and the little eyes grew bored till something shiny caught its attention. "Ooo, what's that?!" A little voice piped up a glow and strip of light trailing behind it as it zigzagged about the room. The little light whizzed in and out of things, darting and fluttering here and there until at last stopping to hover over a gold key lying on a small table near a pile of carpets. "How pretty!"

Just then a groan came from the carpeted mass as a figure, a woman, with copper colored hair rolled over in her sleep, yawning as her eyes flicked open. "Hmm?"

"Yipe!" Squeaked the little voice, dashing into the nearest hidey hole.

"Mmm…Xerxes? Is that you?" The woman sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning more, stretching. She rubbed her head, scratching her scalp and running her hand through her tangled hair. "That's funny; I could have sworn I heard someone talking…"

Standing she stretched again before grabbing her things and rubbing her eyes some more, heading out the door and down the hall. The light followed her, covert-like, as Rena moved down the hall and toward the bathhouse. Once inside she sat her clothes down and stripped, stepping down into the water before, finally, submerging.

The little light flitted over the water, moving to and fro until, with a squeak from it and a gasp from her, Rena resurfaced, staring each other in the face. "A sprite!"

"I've been seen!" It yelped, racing towards the nearest window.

"Wait! Come back! Don't go!" She called after it, her heart flipping with excitement when it actually stopped and looked at her. "I won't tell anyone I've seen you I promise."

"Really?" It said, flying back down to her. "You won't tell anyone?!"

"Why would I when it's too much fun to keep it a secret?!" Rena smiled. She swam over to the edge of the bath and plucked a blossom from a nearby vase of flowers she'd brought in the day before, placing it on the water where it floated about. "Here, have a seat."

Rena watched and washed as the little sprite flew down and landed, be it awkwardly on the flower, finally sitting on one of the larger petals. "Thank you. You're nice. I like you. Want to be friends?"

Rena smiled. "Sure why not?" Happily she raised her hand from above water and extended her pinky. "Here, touch your pinky to mine."

The sprite looked curiously at the large appendage. "Why?"

"This is what friends do, they make a pinky promise. You can't break a pinky promise."

The little sprite giggled. "How silly. Okay!" and it touched its littlest finger to Rena's large one. "What now?"

Rena looked up at the lightening sky, the sun rising. "Now I have to go and make breakfast for my master."

"What's a master?" The sprite asked starting to fly as the water began to churn from Rena's swimming back to shore.

"He's the one in charge around here. He's magical and can be very mean and scary sometimes." Rena paused in her toweling off to look at the sprite. "You must be careful never to be seen by him or his pet flying eel, Xerxes. Master Mozenrath will use your magic for evil and Xerxes might try to eat you."

The little sprite gave her a horrified look. "He'll  _eat_  me?!"

Rena nodded. "You are awfully small; I bet he'll think you taste good."

It made a grave face and puffed out its chest while flying in front of her face. "I'm not afraid!"

The brunette chuckled. "Good. Now I have to get dressed and start work. You should go find your other sprite friends and go play. Come back to see me when the sun is down and the moon is high in the sky, ok?"

The sprite thought for a second before nodding vigorously. "Ok! Bye…um…"

"Rena." She told the sprite.

"Hi Rena! I'm Pinky! Bye Rena!" And it flew off out the window.

The young woman chuckled and watched for a moment to make sure it was gone before dressing quickly and running to the nearest window, looking out at the crystals meant to sense magic. She could see the sprite flying about, coming dangerously close before flying straight up into the clouds and they crystals not react. "One sprite must not have enough magic to set it off." She looked up into the sky. "I hope Pinky never comes back with friends."

~_~_~_~_~_~

" _No! You can't take him! He's my only child, sire, please!"_

" _You know the law! No male can be near her until she is of marrying age!"_

" _No, papa please! Don't take him away! Aaran, run!"'_

" _Seize him! Take him away and kill him!"_

" _No! Aaran! Run, Aaran, run!"_

" _Kill him! Take this one and lock her up! High in the tower where no man can find her! Kill the boy! Kill him!"_

"Hi Rena! I'm back!" A little voice piped up, Rena opening her panicked eyes to see a tiny pink face staring back at her.

"Pinky…sorry, I was asleep." Rena rubber her eyes and looked down to see three more sprites then there were a second ago. "You brought friends."

"Yup! They want to be friends with you too!" Pinky smiled happily.

Rena looked at Pinky worriedly. "Pinky, there might be a problem if you bring too many friends."

"Huh? Why?" The little sprite asked.

Rena got up and waved a hand to follow as she led them to the nearest window overlooking the city. "See those crystals? They detect magic and alarm my master that magic is near. If too many sprites come, they will light up and Mozenrath will know you're here. You'll be in danger, Pinky. Understand?"

Pinky and the other sprites moved to huddle together and discuss before breaking back apart. "Okay, we'll be careful. We promise."

Rena smiled and sat in her room for the rest of her night playing and talking with the sprites. As morning grew close the sprites left only to come back in double the count the following night and double that the night after. Rena told them and Pinky they needed to go but the little sprite, with such a short attention span, forgot or they would come back shortly after leaving. It wasn't until the beginning of the fourth night that trouble came knocking.

Actually, he didn't knock, he just walked right in. "Alright where is the WHOA!"

The undressed woman screamed, quickly recovering herself and throwing the nearest thing at his head. "I  _told_  you to knock first! Don't you ever learn?!" She screamed at him as he semi-closed the door.

Despite his reddened face, he scowled at the door as he yelled. "Just put some damn clothes on, I want to talk to you. Why is it that for the past few night my crystals have been detecting stronger and stronger magic but by dawn it disappears?"

"I don't know," She called through the closed door. "Maybe your crystals are faulty."

"My crystals are never faulty. They have sensed a magical intruder and I want to know where and how it's getting on the grounds." Mozenrath demanded angrily. "You are the only one who comes and goes other than your stupid "friends," myself, and Xerxes. You MUST know what's setting them off."

"Well I don't know so don't bother asking me." Rena yelled, opening the door wearing her white linen night gown again.

He looked her over and glared at her, moving forward into the room, making her move in reverse until she fell back on her palate of carpets. He placed a hand on either side of her and looked her straight in the eye, "If I find out that you are lying you will be severely punished."

Rena gulped but said nothing, holding his gaze for a moment. "I do not know what is causing the crystals to react the past few nights."

He stood up and turned to leave, slamming the door behind him. Rena leaned back, falling back on the palate of carpets. Up above she watched the window, scared to death she'd see a little pink head appear over the ledge. And, just as she had feared, it did.

Flying down to her came a happy little sprite. "Hi Rena! What are we going to do tonight?"

"Pinky, you need to fly away, quickly! Before…"

"AH HAH!" Cried out a slimy voice as the door burst open and Xerxes and Mozenrath came through. Xerxes opened his jaws wide and chased the now terrified sprite as his master crossed the room and grabbed his servant by the hair. "You'll regret lying."

He dragged her by her hair down to the nearest dungeon and locked her inside. "I knew you were a lying little bitch all along…"

"I didn't lie." Rena protested. "I don't know anything about sprite magic or how it affects the crystals. I just know the one sprite, I swear. What can you do with one sprite anyway?"

He grabbed her through the bars and gripped her hard enough to make her yelp. "Plenty."

The grunting sound of a mamluk came to Rena's ears as one, carrying a small cage, came down the steps, Pinky inside. Mozenrath took the cage, smiling wickedly at the little creature. "Now…Pinky, was it? You want to help your friend Rena, don't you?"

The little sprite said shakily. "Yes…"

"Good, then from now on, you work for me. Your first order, go round up all your sprite friends. You have a retrieval to do in Agrabah tonight…"Mozenrath chuckled wickedly as he ascended the stairs, the mamluk trailing behind.

"No!" Rena called after them. "Pinky!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's how Mozenrath got his greedy hands on the Sprites! 
> 
> Seriously, it was something I always wondered about. How the hell did he get them to work for him?


	22. Stolen Friend

_The feel of a soft brush stoking through her hair calmed her as a faint melody drifted past her ears._

_Someone was humming. She knew that tune._

_Warm hands on her shoulders were comforting and strong. "There, you look beautiful."_

_Looking in the mirror she saw only a blurred image, the face unable to be made out. Her gaze turned from the mirror to sound of a bird chirping on a window ledge to her right. She stood, beautiful gold and red silk shifting as she moved towards the sill and looked out and over a vast and shining city, then down at the tiny people below; each person too small to make out clearly against the blazing white of the sand._

" _I must get out of here, Mariah, before my father sells me to the highest bidder." She said, looking back at the plump older woman, salt and peppered with age, smiling back at her. "Is the spell ready?"_

_The woman's face faltered a bit. "Almost my dear. You will have your wings soon enough."_

The sound of the upper door opening and closing pulled Rena from a restless sleep. The sound of someone calling her name made her open her eyes. And the shadow of a familiar face made her sit up. "Amal! Sadira! How did you find me?!"

"We came to visit only to find the place practically deserted minus a few mamluks."Amal told her, smiling happily to see her.

"We found your key on the floor in your room and knew something must be up so we thought Mozenrath must have finally snapped and either killed you or put you down here." Sadira smiled, pulling her lock-picking kit from somewhere on her person. "Glad it was that last possibility."

"We have to help Pinky." Rena told them as Sadira opened the now unlocked door for her. "She's in trouble."

They both paused and looked at her. "Who's Pinky?"

"A sprite I met a few days back, but no time to explain. Sadira, I need your help getting into Mozenrath's lab."

With a nod all three moved up into the main floors of the Citadel, Sadira slipping into the lab, undetected. "What am I looking for exactly?"

"Anything to do with Shamash and the lost city of the sun." Rena told her, trying to look as best she could through the barrier. "Anything?"

Sadira came out with rolled up scroll, handing it to Rena. "What now, fearless leader?"

"We find out where Mozenrath is going." Rena took the scroll and spread it out in the sunlight, looking it over. "Here," She said, pointing to a circled spot near a small mountain range on the map. "Is that very far?"

"Just a little over a day by flying carpet, triple that by camel." Sadira informed her disappointedly.

Amal looked at them. "Perhaps a transportation spell?"

Sadira smiled. "Good thing I always have one on me."

Amal and Rena both looked at her with disbelief. "What?"

Sadira blushed and smiled, pulling a small back of sand from her person. "What? You never know when you're in need of an emergency exit from some sticky situation. As an ex-thief it is my job to  _always_ be prepared for anything!"

Amal rolled his eyes as she handed over the spell. "Just throw some sand at an open doorway and say where you want to go before walking through. Once you're through the spell ends so you'll have to do it again to get back. I only have enough for the two trips so don't waste it."

Rena nodded and stood, turning to the open door of the lab. Taking out some sand from the pouch she said "The lost city of the sun" and threw the sand. The other side of the door melted away, revealing white and yellow sand of the hot desert, Rena looked back at her friends and smiled. "I'll be back." And walked through.

She could see Mozenrath from her hiding perch behind some rocks, dressed in his formal "sorcerer's attire." She kept an eye on both him and Xerxes as she moved through the rubble of the ancient city. She could see him reading ruins in ancient text written on walls all while a whirlwind of sprites were busy digging up building that were buried in the sand. "That can't be all of the sprites. Where's he keeping the rest…?" She thought aloud as she slipped past a couple mamluk guards and towards a half uncovered building, a big, blue door at its center with a mamluk pacing in front of it.

She moved quickly, slipping past the zombie guard and through the doorway, gasping at the sight of an underground city. "Good heavens!" She said, her words echoing in the chamber. Moving to the edge she called out. "Pinky! Are you here?!"

In a flash a swarm of light moved and surrounded her, dozens of angry faces staring back at her. "Pinky doesn't want to speak to you!" Said one.

"Yeah. She's mad at you!" Said another.

"You betrayed us to that nasty man!" Said a third.

"No!" Rena countered. "I didn't! He tricked me too. Please! Let me talk to Pinky. I need to say I'm sorry."

"Pinky doesn't need your 'sorries'!" Said the first one again.

"Just let my talk to her, please! I need to give her something!"

The crowd grew in mutterings at the possibility of a shiny present. Rena held up her pinky finger. "This. I need to give her this."

"Your finger?" Chimed one. "What are we gonna do with your finger?"

"No." Rena said softly. "A promise."

"A promise?" Came a familiar small voice, the little pink sprite coming out of the crowd, eyes sad but hopeful.

The young woman smiled. "Yes, Pinky. A promise to help you, all of you, if you'll help me."

Pinky moved forward, eyes still sad. "You got me put in a cage."

"I'm sorry Pinky, but I tried to tell you it wasn't safe. Please forgive me." Rena held out her finger, smiling happily when the little sprite moved to hug it tightly, the rest murmuring in approval. "Pinky, you must go now and find a boy named Aladdin of Agrabah, can you do that?"

Pinky smiled. "Sure! We know Aladdin!"

The brunette paused, surprised. "You do? How do you…never mind, tell me later. Go and get him, he can help. I must go back to the Citadel. If Mozenrath suspects I helped he'll hurt you all for sure. Once Aladdin saves you, come find me and tell me all about it, ok?"

"Ok!" Pinky chimed as Rena opened the door and the little sprite darted out, quick as a flash. She could here Mozenrath yelling, hollering at Xerxes to catch the sprite and knew it was time for her to go. Undoing the pouch she poured the last of the transportation spell sand into her hand and moved to the nearest doorway. "The doorway of the kitchen in the Citadel of the Land of Black Sands!" and jumped through, vanishing just as the door to the sprites holding place swung open.

 


	23. Goodbyes and a Promise

Rena paced in front of her kitchen counter. It had been at least a day since she'd helped her sprite friend escape from Mozenrath and a day more since she'd heard tale of Aladdin's triumphant return from beating him from Amal and Sadira. Both could tell she was worried about her master and Sadira had even become angry because of it.

"Why do you worry about him?" The Sand Witch asked. "He's a bad guy! A villain who's always trying to take over the world! If I had known that and what he was going to do with the sand I helped him make I would have told him to go to hell!"

"He nearly killed you once, Rena. Why do you care so much for his well being?" Amal added.

Rena had simply said the first thing that had come to mind. "Because someone has to."

They had stared at her in disbelief and simply shook their heads. "Why don't you come with us, Rena?"Sadira had offered hopefully. "We can take you in, help you escape having to serve him like this."

Rena had simply shook her head and smiled. "I can't Sadira, I owe him my life. I can't leave him without repaying a debt like that."

"But you have! You saved him from Dagger Rock, from the Dungeon's of Agrabah and then some! You've repaid him twice over what he did for you."

The brunette held up her hand and stilled their words. "I'm not leaving. There is good in him, I’ve seen it. It’s not much but its growing and I seem to be the only one who can bring it out in him."

Both had exchanged looks before looking back, Amal stepping forward, hand in hand with Sadira. "Then we will. We cannot idly stand by while such a dark man tried to ruin the lives of others." Sadira took Rena's hand and added softly. "We won't be coming back here anymore."

Rena smiled a soft smile, placing her hand over Sadira's. "I figured as much. It’s alright, I understand. I’ll help on this end of things."

As they had both stood there, the servant of the house gave each of them a tender hug of fond farewell, touching Amal's now human face as she parted from him. "I will see you both again, I'm sure."

"We will come should you ever need us." Amal promised.

Rena nodded as they both departed with a final goodbye.

Left alone, Rena's thoughts returned to the matter at hand, that Mozenrath was still gone, though being defeated. "Where could he have gone?"

"Rena!" Came the yell of a little voice. "Rena I'm back!"

Honey colored eyes grew wide with happiness as she cradled the little sprite in the cup of her hands. "Pinky! You're okay!"

"Oh yes! We sprites defeated the nasty man with help of Aladdin!" Pinky giggled.

"What happened to Mozenrath?" Rena asked.

"He's probably still digging around in the desert looking for his magic glove." The sprite said coyly, "but he won't find!"

Rena's heart sunk, moving over to sit in the nearest chair. "Pinky…I need you to tell me where you hid the gauntlet."

"WHAT?!" the sprite yelled, shocked. "But why?"

"Because he needs it back. He'll die without it and I can't let that happen." She shifted her hands as the sprite turned its back to her and 'humphed.' "Please, Pinky. He is my master and I just want to see him home safe. If you help me I will make sure he never bugs you or the rest of the sprites ever again!"

"But he hurt us sprites! He made us dig without brakes or letting us play!" The sprite argued.

"I know and I'm sorry, really." Rena begged. "Please…"

Pinky's anger faltered a bit before finally pouting. "Fine, I'll tell you." She moved to look the big woman straight in the eye. "But he better promise never to mess with sprites again or you'll both be sorry!"

Rena nodded vigorously, leaning in close as the sprite whispered the location of the gauntlet.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

Mozenrath sat against a dune of sand, resting his head on his knees in the setting sun of the desert. His throat burned for water, his pale face baked by the day's sun while his mamluks rambled by in their attempt to dig through the desert in search of a single leather glove.

He was a fool to use sprites as he did to find something as valuable as the power of Shamash. He should have just had them dig it up and destroyed them on the spot. That would have saved him twice as much trouble. But no, he had to ignore that nagging voice in the back of his mind and keep working them until it was too late and Aladdin had had time to interfere. Now he was trapped out here, stuck until either he gave up and took the long walk to get home or just wait out here to die. The last option was becoming more and more appealing as he ran his tongue over his lips once again even though they remained just as dry as they were before.

"You seem stuck." Called a familiar voice. He looked up and could swear the hallucination before him was perfect, even matching her voice. "Did you lose something?"

He groaned, looking back down at his knees. "Go away Rena."

"Why? So you can wallow in your own pity? Come on, get up, we're going home."

"No." He said flatly to the mirage. "Not without my gauntlet."

There was a pause as steps in sand moved closer to him. "You mean this?"

Mozenrath looked up to see a sand covered leather glove hanging inches from his face, which he immediately reached for and it was immediately retracted from him. "Where did you find that?!"

Rena smiled. "It pays to treat sprites with kindness, Master. One good deed deserves another."

He glared, launching himself at her, which she simply dodged out of the way, leaving him on his hands and knees. "Why do you torment me?!"

Her smile faded, letting her hands lower to her sides. "I'm not tormenting you. I was tempted to since you left me locked in the dungeon but I think the sprites did enough of that by leaving you out here powerless as a normal human being."

"Then give it back!" He lunged for her again, crawling on his hands and knees for her, too weak and dehydrated to do much else. "I command you."

"Not without a promise from you."She said. "Your solemn word that you will never mess with the sprites again!"

He glared up at her. "I will never make that promise! They deserve to be sucked into a tornado and shot out into oblivion for all I care!"

Rena shook her head. "Then I can do nothing for you."

She started to walk away as he hung his head, letting out an angry cry as he punched at the sand again and again. "FINE! I'll make the damn promise!"

He waited as her shadow reappeared, planning to use what strength he had left to knock her legs out from under her and take his gauntlet by force when she squatted down to his height, raising his chin with her hand, gauntlet nowhere to be seen. Instead she held out her right hand, pinky extended. "Swear it."

As he looked up at her through sweaty, dark curls her image seemed to blur, one minute Rena stood there squatting before her, the next a small girl, dressed in the finest silks, gold, jewels, and bangles money could buy, finger still extended. He shook his head, the image fading back to his servant before him and he raised his hand, hooking his boney pinky finger with her own. "You have your promise. I will leave the sprites alone."

Rena smiled her famous smile, reaching behind her and handing him his gauntlet which he clamored to return to his hand as they both rose to their feet. "Will you take us home now?" She asked.

Mozenrath glared at her. "I should just leave you here for holding out on me over some stupid finger promise."

Rena hid her smile as she walked past him, picking up a shriveled looking eel who was laying in the shade of nearby rock, fast asleep. "You already threw me in the dungeon for days and I had to get myself out, plus talked a very irritated sprite into telling me where they hid your gauntlet. The least you could do is promise me that and the moon." She looked up at him to show off her smile. "Besides, where would you be without me?"

With a grunt the wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, raising his hand over his head and letting it glow as magic surrounded them, teleporting them in a puff of smoke.

 


	24. Bad Dreams

_Visions blurred and whirred in front of him, voices calling out, telling him to run. He tried to do so but didn't seem to be making much distance, his legs were too short._

" _Run! Run, my son! Get out of the city!" A woman's voice told him. "Go to the land of black sands! Go and don't look back! Never come back to this forsaken place!"_

_Another voice, male this time was yelling. "Kill him! Kill the boy! Don't let him escape!"_

_The voice was coming closer and closer no matter how hasty his running or how hard he tried to get away._

" _He must not escape! Kill him! KILL HIM!"_

_A familiar young voice screamed as a little girl dressed in red and gold reached for him. "Aaran!"_

Mozenrath woke with a start, bolting upright in his bed, his black silken sheets pooling around his naked middle. His skin was sweaty, his breath shaky as his heart hammered in his chest. He ran boney fingers through his damp hair and looked around his familiar surroundings. His bed, his desk, his rugs and draperies, a glimmer of a few stars peaking threw as a streak of moonlight flickered on the dark stone floor. Everything was where it should be; even Xerxes snored softly on his little pillow nearby, leaving a large drool spot as he mumbled random words in his sleep.

Swinging his feet off the side of his bed and rested his pounding head in his hands, elbows on his knees, taking in a shaky breath and letting it out slow.

Another nightmare. He'd been having them since he was a child but now they were becoming more frequent…and more vivid. And God were they giving him a headache.

Licking his dry lips he stood, grabbing a nearby set of pants and shrugging them on before heading towards the kitchen, glove tucked into his belt. His feet slapped lightly as he walked along the corridors, passing the occasional mamluk on patrol as he maneuvered towards the kitchen. He paused only for a moment when a soft clanging echoed through the hall. Hastening his steps in fear of an intruder the pale youth paused just before the entrance to the kitchen, relaxing at the sound of a familiar humming coming from within. Peering in he could see Rena sitting on a small stool wrapped in her favorite bright red shawl drinking what he guessed, judging by the scent of the room, was tea. She had moved one of the two stools around to sit between the grated over fire bit and the stilted table she used for cutting and prepping food, her body facing him.

"You're up late." He called into the room, leaning against the entryway, smirking as she jumped in her seat, spitting up some of her tea in surprise and falling into a fit of coughs to clear her throat. She thumped her fist in between her breasts in attempt to inhale some air, face red but fading, as he approached her.

"I… –cough cough-…could say… –cough-…the same for you…" She cleared her throat and took another sip of tea to calm her spasming throat. "Couldn't sleep?"

He shrugged and sat across the tall table from her on the opposite stool tapping the table top in insistence to be served. He watched her get up and grab for another cup. "Bad dreams."

Mozenrath blinked in surprise, not sure why he'd actually told her WHY he was up. It mildly irritated him that he seemed to have become accustomed to talking so freely with her, like she was his confidant instead of just a servant. True she was the only other LIVING human in the whole citadel but that was beside the point. He glared at her curvy backside as she carefully pulled the pot from the metal grate. His dark eyes watched as she moved, half-heartedly letting his eyes moved up and down her person. Her feet were bare, like his, with long tan legs peeking out from under a dark, muslin dress. From the light of the fire flickering in the hearth he could make out the outline of her body under that dress from the curve of her backside to the trimness of her waist all the way up to where her shawl covered up her shoulders hiding the small straps over her shoulders. She was naked under that dress and for some reason that thought made a warm feeling clench in his lower belly.

He shook it from his mind as she turned back around and filled his cup. "I know the feeling."

"You are also having nightmares?"

Rena nodded, returning to her seated position. "I think they are of my past." She spoke as she topped off her cup and set the pot down on pad of cloth next to her. "I'm not sure though. It's odd but I keep dreaming that I'm up very, very high and I start to fly and then suddenly, when I think free and clear, I start falling."

"Hmm." Was all he said, sipping on his tea hoping the hot drink would wash out the feeling in his gullet. "You have weird dreams."

"I don't know if it is a dream or a memory. It feels like a bit of both." She took another sip and looked at him expectantly. After a moment or two her eyebrow quirked in question. "Well?"

He eyed her back. "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to tell me what your nightmare was about?"

"No." He said flatly.

"Aw come on, I told you mine…"

"Which was stupid." He interrupted her, downing the last of his cup.

"Mozenrath…" She whined she gave him her best smile. "Maybe I can help you sort it out some."

His dark eyes glared at her. "I doubt it."

Her smiled turned mischievous at the sound of a challenge, leaning her elbows onto the table. "Try me."

They eyed each other for a moment before he gave in. "Fine. If it will make you stop talking." Looking down at his cup he told her of his nightmare, leaving out only the part about the little girl calling out, she ever vigilant until he finished.

"Did you recognize any of the voices?" She asked her brow curious.

"I'm not sure." He paused, turning the cup with is bone fingers. "I think the woman telling me to run was my mother."

Rena's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Your mother?" She shifted a little more forward in her seat. "You've never mentioned your family before."

Mozenrath eyed her. "I had one, obviously, what's more to tell?"

"Yes but why was she telling you to run? Shouldn't she have gone with you?"

The young man froze for a second. That thought had never occurred to him. Judging by what few facts he could gather from this dream he must have been a small child, young enough that any normal woman would not leave unsupervised much less tell them to run and never look back. "I don't think she could."

Rena tapped her chin a little. "Well, if someone was yelling for you to be killed she may have stayed behind to buy you time to escape. My biggest question is why would someone want you killed?"

He shrugged, giving her a dull look. "If I knew that I wouldn't be having nightmares about it, now would I?"

The brunette rolled her eyes at him. "There is one thing that's for certain though."

"What is that, pray tell?"

"Your mother must have loved you very much. If she didn't she wouldn't have told you to run in the first place." Rena smiled, taking the cup from his boney hand and moving over to the large basin she used for washing dishes, her back to him. He watched her as she rinsed the cups and put them away, her words spinning in his head.

He had been loved once…

He paused as he heard her say something under her breath, but let the moment pass rising to his feet. Despite the growing light in the kitchen from the rising sun he informed her he was heading back to bed and that he'd probably be skipping breakfast before heading out the door, not even bothering to look back as he left for his bedchamber.

Climbing back into bed he laid back, hands folded behind his head, staring up at the ceiling, her muttered words echoing in his head.

"It must be nice to have been loved."

In his mind he could see the look on her face that probably coincided with such words. A look of sadness and longing that made even his black heart wrench a bit. He made a face of disgust as the thought of pitying that woman and rolled over, back to the incoming sunlight and falling into a dreamless sleep.

 


	25. A Mukhtar's Warning

For the umpteenth time that morning Rena blew a rebellious strand of hair out of her eyes. Her copper colored hair was getting a little too long to manage so she had started to braid it loosely down her back or wear it up just a long as it was out of the way. And for today's task of feeding the man-eating plants, her hair was definitely up.

Despite being surrounded by monstrous plants both by nature and by creation (some of Mozenrath's experiments) they never seemed to bother her as long as she kept calm and fed them on time. She dragged in a whole half a cow's worth of meat in a wheelbarrow and that was just for the giant Venus flytrap in the center of the room. She wheeled it into position and it dumped the load in front of the monster so as to prevent it from eating the cart too. Her master would be most upset since it had eaten 3 of them already this month.

She spread out seed and water for the other plants and was in the middle of tossing chunks of chicken parts at the snap-dragons when they began to hiss angrily and turn their attention toward the door. Surprised by their actions Rena turned and yelped in surprise.

There in front of her stood a green skinned man with yellow eyes and foul expression. He glared at her with disapproval, one taloned hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his side, sharp pointy teeth showing as he spoke with a hiss. "I've come to ssssee your Masssster…"

"Oh!" She stammered, clearing her throat in nervousness. She tossed the rest of the chicken to the plants and wiped her hands on her apron. "Yes, sorry, this way please."

Nervous as a mouse being followed by a yellow-eyed cat Rena hastily moved through the corridors towards the lab, the guest behind her not making a sound. Not even his footfalls. That alone was so unnerving she was tempted to turn around and make sure he was still following but the feel of his gaze on her back assured her he was still there.

Rena hastily knocked on the lab door, calling out for Mozenrath before he even had time to answer. "Mo…Master Mozenrath, you have a guest here to see you."

The door opened almost instantly, the dark sorcerer in his more formal attire, complete with turban, which was not as common as one might think when he worked in the lab. Rena assumed it was more for show than for any other reason. He smiled his usual wicked smile and eyed the lizard-like man behind her. "Ah, the Mukhtar. Right on time. Punctual, I like that."

The Mukhtar only hissed in reply simply stepping past the confused woman and entered the lab, its door hastily shut in her face.

Taking it as her sign to leave Rena turned and began to walk away when the lab door clicked open again. "Rena," Mozenrath called so sweetly it made her sick to her stomach, "Be a lamb and start dinner already. I'm in the mood for something extravagant before my bath tonight."

Her eye twitched slightly. "Yes Master Mozenrath." She called as the door closed.

"What is up with him?" She asked herself as she headed down the stairs. "I haven't seen him this happy since…" Rena paused halfway down the stairs and turned to look back. "He's plotting again. Oh hell, what's he up to now…"

With a hasty retreat she hustled down the stairs toward the kitchen to start the requested feast. There was only one good perk about Mozenrath in a good mood…he liked to tell everyone about it.

She been in the middle of making an "extravagant" meal for her master when he'd appeared, making her jump and yelp in surprise (though not nearly as loudly as when he’d first appeared earlier). He stood on the opposite side of the tall table just watching her with an expressionless gaze. "Oh…h-hello…" She stammered, clearing her throat. "Can I help you with something?"

He didn't respond.

Rena tried again, her irritation keeping the awkwardness at bay a bit. "Please, sit. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"Water." Was all he said before he sat on the stool next to him, his gaze following her as she moved around the space. He eyed her as she placed the cup of water in front of him, observing it for a moment, sniffing it even before taking a drink.

"It's not poisoned if that's what you're worried about." She said flatly, hands on her hips. "I had it pulled fresh from the well this morning."

He said nothing as he downed the drink, but simply nodded in thanks to her, pushing it forward for want of another cupful.

"You are not from thisssss land." He hissed as she refilled his cup.

She paused for a second to give him a look of surprise before shaking her head. "No, I'm not. Mozenrath found me on his doorstep several season's back and made me his servant to repay him. I have no memory of how I got that far though."

"I have ssssseen many with your coloring to the North of thissss place." He said simply. "Mosssst are from the Bronze Ccccity."

That got her attention. "I've heard of it before. Someone told me a sad tale about the queen there once."

"The place issssss cursed." The Mukhtar said simply. "Esssspecially the royal family."

With her pot simmering behind her she had time to sit across from him and listen, her fear lessened as he spoke leaving only a mild awkwardness between the two. "What kind of curse?"

"It isssss said that the king was cursssssed by a witch he had inssssssulted. Cursssssed to only bear one child in hisssss lifetime."

"I heard this part. The queen died in childbirth as did the baby."

The mukhtar glared a bit. "The child lived."

Rena quirked her eyebrow in surprise. "Really?"

"Ssssshe has never been ssssseen before. Ssssssealed away in a tower so no man may gazzzzze on her beauty."

Her interest suddenly turned to concern. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"There is ssssomething ssssspecial about you." He paused, sniffing the air. "A ssssscent of magic other than that of thisss land." He stood, raising to his full height and pointing a finger to her. "There isssss an innocencccce to your aura. Ssssuch gentility should never be tainted by the dark powersssss of thisssss world. Go back to your homeland and be gone of thissss placccce."

Rena's honey-brown eyes sparked with fear and anger. "This is my home and I will not be bullied out of a perfectly good job! And if you're talking about leaving just because Mozenrath uses black magic you're preaching to crowd because I've heard this song and dance before. Besides, he needs me…at the very least he needs three square meals a day!"

The mukhtar's gaze softened slightly with curiosity and surprise. "Very well." He turned and headed toward the exit pausing only for a moment. "May you ssssssuffer your own choicessss."

 


	26. A Mukhtar's Failure and a Massage

"I was so sure that mukhtar would not fail me." He pouted, wiping suds from his face as Rena sat behind him and scrubbed at his scalp. "I paid him good coin too!"

"Well at least he gave that back." She said softly as she scrubbed.

"That's not the point!" He snapped, slapping the water with his boney fist. "The bastard said he'd deliver the genie and take care of that meddling Aladdin and he lied! I'm going to hunt that asshole down and kill him!"

Rena rolled her eyes again and pressed her fingers harder into his scalp on his pressure points, smiling lightly to herself when he began to calm down some. "I'm sure you already have at least six other plans in the works for that pesky Aladdin and his genie."

He humph as he pulled away from the comfort of her massaging hands and submerged, rinsing the suds and oils from his hair. As he resurfaced he noticed her stepping out of the warm water and ringing out her apron. Mozenrath's dark eyes watched her move about the tiled floor, picking up things and moving things around. He swam back to the step and laid his head on his crossed arms at the edge of the pool. "What are you doing now woman?"

"You've got a huge knot on your right shoulder blade. I'm setting up a spot where you can sit and I can work it out for you." She said matter-of-factly, looking toward him with a smile. "Come on out and get some pants on so we can get started."

Grumblingly he hopped out of the water, Rena blissfully ignorant of his nakedness, simply holding out a towel for him to dry off with. She hummed lightly her usual little tune as he dried himself and snatched up a clean pair of black pants, tying them loosely around his waist with his favorite gold sash. By then she was done with her prep work and was sitting patiently on small pillow, legs crossed in front of her, another fluffier pillow directly in front of her. "Come. Sit."

He plopped down in front of her, back to her and watched the water as her hands, slicked with warm oil rubbed out the soreness of his back and shoulders. He couldn't help but groan a little in pleasure whenever her fingers seemed to press on just the right spot. "Mm…right there…"

"I told you. You've been working yourself to hard. You need to take a break every once in a while." She said softly in his ear as she pressed her thumb hard into a sore spot making him hiss a bit. "That spot right there? Nothing but stress and it's HUGE."

"It takes a lot to rule the world." He griped, looking back at her to show he was still glaring.

"It just seems like too much for one man to handle ruling the WHOLE world." She retorted. "Why do you want to rule the world in the first place?"

"Because I want to change it."

Rena sighed, her breath tickling the nape of his neck. "So which country would you take over first?"

He was silent for a moment. "The Bronze City."

Rena paused in her movements, stunned. She'd been expecting for him to say 'Agrabah'. "Why that one?"

"Because it needs new leadership the most."

Rena kept working down his muscles and pushing her fingers into his sides until suddenly he flinched. She immediately pulled her hands away thinking perhaps she’d hit a bruise or something. “Sorry, did I hurt you?”

The young man infront of her straightened himself back up and made a face, “No, you didn’t.”

“Then why did you…” Her voice trailed off as a thought dawned on her. Very carefully she reached back down and ran her hands over the same spot, lightly this time. He flinched twice as bad and pushed her hand away. Just the look on his face was confirmation enough. “You’re ticklish!”

“Don’t be stupid,” He warned, shifting in his spot so that place on his side was father away from her. “I’m not ticklish.”

“Really? I wonder if the other side has the same effect…” She teased, running her fingers in a mirror spot just below his ribs, giggling when he jerked again. “It does!”

Mozenrath turned around and grabbed her hands in his own, giving her a look that could stop a sandstorm in its tracks. “Let me make this very clear. I. Am. Not. Ticklish. Do you understand?”

“Why not? It’s cute that you are ticklish. Makes you appear more…” Her words faded out.

“More what?”

The brunettes cheeks flared red for a moment and she almost looked away from him but thought better of it. With a hard gulp she answered. “More human.”

Through gritted teeth he let go of her hands and turned his back to her again. “Just finish the damn massage slave.”

Softer this time she finished rubbing down his back in silence, avoiding his ticklish places before tapping his shoulder to let her know she'd finished. "Turn around and face me."

He glared at her.

"Please?"

With a sigh he turned, glowering down at her like a vulture. "Now what?"

Rena held out her hands. "Let me see your left hand."

His dark eyes gave her a curious look, placing his left hand in her warm ones. She pressed and rolled her fingers around his wrist and palm, twisting and tugging on each of his fingers until it was nice and relaxed before she set it down gently. "Now I’ll wrap your other one."

"I can do that myself." He said flatly watching as she simply shrugged and held out her waiting hands. Sighing in frustration he placed his bone hand in hers, watching silently as she took strips of gauze and began to wrap his arm, starting at the point where flesh met bone. "You don't fear my hand anymore, do you?"

Rena shook her head. "I've grown used to the sight of it. It's just a hand after all. It only had so much shock value." She smiled up at him as she worked her way up his shoulder and finally around his neck. As she finished Rena touched his arm, noting how his elbow joints had finally cleaned out of rot and were now a boney as the rest of his arm and hand. She touched it gingerly. "It's getting worse, isn't it? It's almost all the way up your shoulder."

"All magic comes with a price. This is the price I've chosen to pay." Mozenrath said solemnly, a determined look in his eyes. Rena held his gaze for several moments. "I wish there was another way though."

Dark eyes narrowed at her as he rose to his feet. "There isn't. If there was, I'd be pursuing it." He balled his hands into fist as he spoke. "What do you care anyway? I'm going to bed!"

Rena watched as he hastily grabbed his gauntlet and exited, his bare feet stomping down the corridor. She sighed, rising to her feet and removing her clothes, her turn now to take a bath. Letting loose a silent prayer of help for her master before sinking into the warm water.

 


	27. Sickness and Recovery

The wooden spoon clattered to the floor as Rena doubled over in coughing, trying not to hurl in the process. She'd been feeling a bit off the past few days, a steady cough growing in pungency as the hours past since this morning. Despite her illness, she'd continued on for the day; determined to tough it out.

Mozenrath could hear her through the door from the dining hall to the kitchen. He drummed his gloved fingers on the arm underneath it, sliding down irritably in his chair. Each time she coughed his eye seemed to twitch, the sound starting to grate on his nerves. What the hell was taking so long with his meal? He'd been sitting there for what felt like hours! "Get the food out here now, damn it, I'm hungry!"

"It's *cough cough* coming *cough* right up…" he heard her holler back so he grumbled as he was forced to sit and wait more. Lucky Xerxes had already eaten; the slob…stupid creature was starting to get fat off of all the food he gobbled down.

The sound of crashing bowls and breaking pottery brought his attention back to the present, standing quickly in agitation. At such times he'd have sent Xerxes off to see what was going on but he was currently out on another errand for him so off to the kitchen the dark sorcerer went. "Honestly woman, can't you hold onto a few bowls…" He stopped his rant at the sight of the figure lying motionless on the ground. "Rena!"

He was by her side in a single stride, turning her over to show her face pale and ashen, covered in sweat to the point what few stray hairs that were loose from her pulled back style stuck to her skin like glue. He touched her forehead, burning to the touch, and instantly scooped her up, carrying her out of the kitchen and back towards the storage room. He kicked open the door and paused in his paces towards the pile of carpets she used for a bed, suddenly irritated with it, considering it insufficient for this level of sickness; not to mention that it might have been here that she caught the chill that made her this sick which made him even more irritated.

Shifting her weight more onto his left arm he let his right hand glow, teleporting them both to one of the many extra rooms of the citadel, quirking an eyebrow in surprise at just how clean and well maintained it was, even to the point that there was a vase of fresh flowers on a table by the window from his greenhouse room.

Shaking his head he laid her down on the bed and stared at her. "The apron should come off." He thought aloud to himself, rolling her unconscious body over on her side and fidgeting with the knot on her back. After a few irritating minutes with fidgeting with the damn knot he finally gave up and summoned a knife out of thin air and cut the stupid thing before vanishing the blade and tossing the apron on the floor, turning her again on her back. He also pulled the band from her hair and let it loose to make her head lay better on the pillow underneath it.

She was still sweating profusely.

His eye started twitching again. "She's wearing too many layers." Swallowing a lump in his throat he reached for the lacings on her jumper dress, undoing them before raising his hand and making her body levitate about a foot off the bed. Clearing his throat he attempted to pull the dress up her body and over her head with two fingers (in a pinching fashion) of each hand, visibly relaxing to find that her shirt underneath was long enough that nothing was too revealed enough to be awkward. Just because he'd seen  _plenty_  of her skin before from popping into her room from time to time without knocking did not mean he particularly  _liked_  seeing that much nudity.

With her more or less undressed he let her body drop back to the bed, covering her up with a light sheet when she began to shiver. He even went as far as to put a cool, wet cloth on her forehead before standing to leave. He was about out the door when a faint voice called his name. He turned but found her eyes still closed, yet shivering more violently, thrashing lightly in her fevered sleep. The image brought back memories of her standing at his bedside, tearing up linens and binding his arm as he had been the one thrashing and in pain. A sudden twinge of pain moved through his chest which he knocked up to heartburn due to lack of food. He summoned up another blanket, covering her with it and placing a mamluk outside her door to warn him if she got any worse before heading back to the kitchen to scrounge up his meal that had previously hit the floor.

~_~_~_~_~_~

_The world was hot. Hotter then it usually felt, like everything was melting in some fashion. Outside that small window way up high the world seemed to shimmer as waves a heat blurred the desert below. She turned away from that heat to see a man, short and round, his face surprisingly thindespite his plump nature but carried dark eyes that promised pain if disobeyed and a pair of thin lips that never stopped frowning. She knew this man, knew him well, and knew he could never be trusted._

" _You will be wed to the Prince Advar tomorrow at noon." He told her flatly. "Mariah will help you prepare."_

" _Why should I? I’ve never even met this prince! Just what kind of man is he that you’ll barter off your only daughter to a man she’s never seen?" She told the man simply only to see that blank irritation falter and fade away to a much darker look._

" _It's a little too late for that kind of sentiment. Your love was magicked away. Wasted on a child that is dead and rotting in the ground." He said plainly, holding her gauze, punctuating each word to make sure they stuck. "You_ _will_ _marry Prince Advar and make this kingdom prosperous once again."_

_Anger welled up inside her. "I would rather die than do as you wish! You don’t give a damn about me, you never did! You only care about riches and power!" She hissed. "You took him away._ _ You _ __ _killed him, not me!"_

" _But it was_ _because_ _of you that he is dead!" The old man snapped before pausing and returning to his normal, deep tone. "And death cannot be changed."_

" _I don't believe you!" She yelled. "Not now! Not ever that he is dead! You're nothing but a greedy liar! You are not even worth the word King…much less father…"_

_His gaze turned cold making her blood turn to ice in her veins and back up a step in fear of what he might do. "You_ _ will _ _marry Advar…or I will kill you myself…" He turned angrily and looked the woman standing by the door, an older woman who seemed so very familiar and giving her the order. "Get her ready."_

Rena woke to a bizarre sight as there, standing above her, was Mozenrath, in his usual work tunic and pants looking down at her with an odd expression. "Mozenrath?"

"The one and only." He said cockily. "How are you feeling?"

She rubbed her eyes. "A bit disoriented," her gaze flicked about the room to take in everything becoming confused. "This isn't my room."

"Correct. At least this fever hasn't made you stupid." He said smugly, turning to a bowl on the bedside table and picking up a cloth inside it, wringing it out, his glove nowhere in sight. "This is one of the guestrooms. I found your usual accommodations too lacking for the situation so you will rest here until you are well enough to return to the storage room."

She watched as he placed the cool rag on her forehead and gave him a look of disbelief. "You're taking care of me?" Her eyes practically rolled back in her head. "I must be hallucinating."

Dark eyes glared down at her familiarly. "You're not. I had a mamluk doing the work but despite the order of only coming to get me if you took a turn for the worst, it kept coming to find me anyway so I gave up on that idea." He let out an exasperated sigh. "You are more trouble then you are worth, slave."

Rena couldn't help but chuckle at him despite the soreness in her throat. "Oh come one, Moze." She joked ignoring his glare at the abbreviation of his name, holding the cloth to her head. "You seem to have the hang of it. What? Did you have to take care of someone else like this before in life?"

He went very still for a minute, watching her before nodding. "Once, when I was a boy." He stood quickly, grabbing the bowl and turning away. "A friend was very ill."

Rena sat up slightly to watch him as he took the bowl over to a pitcher, pouring water into it. "You had a  _friend_?"

He gave her a quick glare. "It was a  _very_  long time ago, so don't read too much into it."

"What happened to this friend? Did they get better?"

He turned and brought the bowl back as he spoke. "Yes, she did."

" _She?_ " Rena's jaw dropped in surprise while he gave a look as if it was no big deal.

"Yes.  _She._ " He replied, putting the bowl down and sitting back in his chair almost as if he was practicing for sitting in a throne. "Where I grew up there were no men. Only women were allowed."

Her eyebrow quirked in curiosity. "Why?"

He shrugged. "It was the law of the land. I was a child, I didn't ask questions."

"Fair enough." She smiled. "Why did you leave that place? Sounds like a man's paradise to me."

Rena's smile faded at the look that crossed his face, a dark fury, like an old wound had been ripped open.

"Why the hell am I telling you any of this anyway…?" He snapped getting to his feet and heading for the door, only a soft hand in his own making him stop and turn back.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you upset." She said hastily. "Just answer me this. Were you close to this friend?"

Her heart almost broke at the pain that flitted past his eyes before he turned his face away, hiding his expression in his dark curls as his hands turned to fists and shook in silent anger. He said softly, so low she almost missed it. "I don't even remember her face but…she was my whole world."

Rena looked at him, still holding into his boney fingers that gripped her back tightly. “She’s what Desdane took from you, isn’t she? Your memories of her and your mother; you see phantoms. Bodies with blurred out faces, muffled words where there should be names.”

Dark black eyes looked into honey-brown ones for a long second and nodded. For the briefest of moments all that wickedness and practiced smugness faded away. All that seemed to be left was the little boy who couldn’t even remember his real name. Then it was gone. He looked back at her, his normal glare in place. "You have one full day to get better. Do not leave this room until then."

Rena held onto him for a moment and nodded, gently taking his face in her hands and kissing his forehead, giving a light "thank you." As she pulled away she looked at him, her face still warm with fever, and kissed him again, properly this time. It wasn’t intended, nor expected or planned. But he needed something, something to show she cared. A smile seemed too plain, a hug to simple, but a kiss seemed just right. His lips were soft and fit against hers as if they’d been made to match her exactly. It felt absolutely perfect.

She froze in her actions in complete surprise at what she'd done. Her face suddenly felt molten hot while a chill ran down her spine and hastily let go of him, turning away from him and curling up in the sheet with a hastily mumbled ‘good night’.

To her surprise he didn’t give any answer as she could hear him disappear out the doorway and down the hall. Her head swam with thoughts as she lay there. Oh God what has she just done?! She’d kissed Mozenrath! It had been an accident, an almost automatic response to feeling sorry for what they’d talked about. Desdane had made him forget any and all happiness he had ever known. His master had called it useless, she called it heartless. To rob a child of what love he'd had only to replace it with the ruthless want for power…no wonder his morality was so warped and wicked. And of her kiss. Oddly natural, like she'd done that to him a thousand times but to her knowledge she'd never done it before. It had to be the fever, hopefully he understood that, after all he’d just up and walked away without throwing any sort of fit about it. Maybe she was overreacting.

She closed her brown eyes and took a shaky yet calming deep breath, promising herself that she'd kick Desdane in the shins next time she saw him meandering about the citadel before letting sleep take her for the night. This time there were no dreams, only fever and heavy ache in her heart, like a string wrapping tighter and tighter around it.


	28. Conquering and Surrendering

Warning! Warning! This chapter is not for the light of heart! Beware for there are squee moments abound!

~_~_~_~_~_~

He couldn't sleep.

He'd tried everything: tossing, turning, kicking Xerxes off the bed and out of the room, more tossing and turning and still, he could not get to sleep. Mozenrath glared at his ceiling, yanking the sheet off him as he felt too uncomfortable underneath it and growled.

It was that stupid woman's fault. He kept seeing her face in his head, smiling, laughing, being upset for his loss and being al all around pain in the ass.

He touched his forehead for what felt like the hundredth time since he'd last seen her at dinner. He could still feel her lips there, trying to kiss away his pain. Then to his lips where she’d caught him off guard and kissed him point blank.

Dammit he didn't need his pain kissed away! He was Mozenrath! The greatest dark sorcerer of his age! Future ruler of the seven deserts! He didn't need some woman kissing away his boo boo's like a fucking child!

But that wasn't even the worst part. Now she was in his head, and that kiss was like an infection spreading through his mind. He could see it plain as day, first a kiss to his forehead like before, then a kiss to his mouth, light at first then deeper with want. A hand to his chest, moans in his ears and a sudden heat filling his loins. Just the idea made his whole body tingle and itch. She was like an infectious disease!

Kicking his leg over the edge of the bed he ran his bony fingers through his sweat slickened hair and grit his teeth. "I shall conquer this. It will go away!"

Hastily throwing on his favorite pair of black pants he marched out of his bedroom and through the halls of the citadel. He was too hot; he needed a cool down before he could sleep. A nice dip would clear his head, he was sure of it.

That is until he heard a familiar tune coming from inside the bath hall.

Letting out a light groan he peaked around the open door to see her sitting on the edge of the pool, holding a towel to her front to keep it covered as she kicked her bare legs in blackened water. All the air seemed to vacate his lungs as he watched her, the light of the moon through the high windows mixing with the flickering dance of candlelight seemed to illuminate only her in that dark room, like she was bathing in the stars. Her familiar little tune echoed in the room which made it more haunting till it resonated in his very bones. Although Rena's profile was to him he could see clearly the low curve of her back and roll of her backside. His fingers itched to touch her, run along the curve of her spine, inhale the scent from the crook of her neck, lick at her… ugh the mental images were just getting worse! All that just seemed to center his fever into his lower belly which only angered him more.

He yelled her name, louder than even he thought necessary which made her squeak in surprise, covering herself more securely with her towel as she hastily stepped out of the water. He moved towards her, hands in fist at his sides.

"Mozenrath! What are you doing up at this hour!?" She exclaimed in surprise, her cheeks colored with an embarrassed blush. "I'm sorry if I woke you I just…"

"Get out." He cut her off.

Rena paused in her movements and looked at him confused. "What?"

"Get out! Get out of here now! Get out of this room, out of the Citadel, out of this land! I don't care where you go just get OUT!" He yelled, fists shaking furiously as they were clenched so tightly.

"But Mozenrath this is my home!" She pleaded, touching his upper arm tentatively with her free hand, the other still holding the towel. "Why do I have to leave? What have I done wrong?!"

"Don't touch me! That's how it started!" He glared down at her confused look, pulling from her touch. "You put some sort of spell on me didn't you? You’ve been waiting for me to finally drop my guard and now you infect me with some kind of poison when you kissed me. I'll kill you for that!"

"What spell? What's wrong with you?!"

Her eyes were so pleading, so filled with aghast confusion they started to water with tears. He grabbed her upper arms, pulling her closer till his eyes bore down into hers which seemed to glow in the moonlight. His fingers itched to touch her more, touch every inch of her just like in his waking dreams. He let his gaze lower to her mouth, the source of all this trouble. Just by looking at it he could feel that kiss on his lips as well as the look in her eyes. She was still saying something but he couldn’t hear her over the heavy pulse of blood rushing to his ears. All he had to do was pull her a little closer and…

"Fuck it." He mumbled before he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers, using his grip on her arms to hold her in place against him.

Rena stood frozen in place as all her questions ebbed away and everything cam e to s screeching halt. Mozenrath was kissing her. They're in the bath hall. She was naked. He was kissing her. It's the middle of the night. He told her to leave the Citadel. She was still naked. Did she mention that Mozenrath was kissing her?!

Finally she tried to push him away, squirming to unhinge herself from his grip. When he finally did let go Rena stumbled backwards, taking as many steps away from him as she could until she slammed up against the tiled wall, it's icy coldness against her bare skin bringing her back to her senses a bit. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She screamed at him, hastily snagging her tunic and shoving it on over her head, not even caring if he saw anything she wanted to be dressed.

"I DON'T KNOW!" He bellowed back, marching towards her and slamming a hand on either side of her head to keep her trapped between him and the wall. "I don't…I just…and you…gaaah!"

He kissed her again, harder this time, full of frustration and anger. She didn't fight him, seeing as how it seemed to make it worse so instead she touched him gently, holding her palm to his chest and could feel just how hard his heart was hammering in his ribcage. Soft touches made him lighten up to the point where it was almost pleasant. And when he finally pulled back she almost wished he hadn't.

Rena looked at him. I mean really looked at him. His pale complexion even paler in the moonlight, dark curls of hair falling into his face and eyes that held heat like dark coals that one might reach for in a burnt out fire, thinking they were cool but were still so hot they could burn you. And suddenly she felt it, like a string attached to her breast bone pulling her closer to him, tying them together. Leaning up she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers in his black curls as he pinned her back against the wall. It was like an infection. She couldn't get enough of him, the taste of him, the feel of him she just wanted to move with him in every which direction all at once.

Hands lowered to cup her backside, lifting her up from behind while finger pressed up against her flesh, not caring how her tunic rode up shamelessly. The brunette wrapped her legs around his waist, licking at his lips. His eyes held her own, letting go of her backside to grip at her chin and turn it, burying himself in her neck. Her breath hitched in her throat when he found her pulse and began to suck on it, tugging on a fistful of his hair while her other hand moved lower to his sash.

"MASTER!" A slimy voice echoed through the halls of the Citadel. "Master! Where is Master?!"

The eel's voice seemed to bring both youths back to their senses, Mozenrath pulled back from his servant girl like she was the plague, letting her collapse to the floor in equal alarm. What had he done? What they done? His pants were about an inch short of falling off his hips and emblazoned with a severe case of tenting while her tunic was halfway undone already, falling off one shoulder with only her hand holding it up to keep one breast from showing. They stared at each other before she mumbled something about breakfast and took off running for the door, knocking Xerxes aside as she rushed for freedom.

"Master!" Xerxes cried, slithering to him. "Rena mean! Rena hit!"

"Shut up Xerxes!" The young sorcerer snapped, touching his boney hand to his heart. The feeling was still there, like a string or thread wrapped around his beating heart, tightening and binding him down. He looked toward the door, his feet itching to follow her but instead he opted to turn toward the bath, shucking his clothes in haste and diving in, in hopes to wash away the feel of the woman in his arms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, this finally happened. And this is how I respond...take it away Maui!
> 
> [sings] What can I say except, "You're Welcome!"


	29. Burnt Food and Green Smoke

She'd burnt the dish again. Rena waved the rag in her hand about to fan the rising smoke out of her face, coughing as it slowly rose and thinned out in open kitchen space. Letting out a simple swear she dumped the dish into the rubbish pile and slammed the pan into the hot wash water she kept on hand for just such occasions to scrub it clean later.

This was the second time in a week she'd burnt a dish. And Rena NEVER burnt a dish, at least not on accident. Ever since that incident in the bath she'd been screwing up here and there. Burning dishes, feeding the carnivorous plants the wrong meals, staining the wash and forgetting certain things while in the marketplace. Even Jasmine had asked if she as alright which Rena had had to half-heartedly deny, using the excuse that she just wasn’t feeling well. Luckily she was staying busy enough to be able to avoid Mozenrath as much as possible. In fact, she hadn't seen him in over three days.

Since the incident he'd requested all his meals brought to the lab which he very rarely vacated. She'd gotten into the routine of dropping off the meal, knocking on the door to let him know it was there and coming back in an hour to grab the empty dishes. The most surprising part was that he would actually listen when she knocked and not just ignore the food and let it go cold like he usually did.

In the midst of her mid-scrub musing there was a loud bang, like a thunder clap from inside the palace. Instantly she took off toward the lab, scrub brush still in hand. She rushed up the stairs and through the halls, passing meandering mumluks, also headed towards the lab, stopping dead in her tracks as the lab door burst open, green smoke bellowing out as a coughing sorcerer came out.

She had to hold back a laugh but damn was it hard.

Mozenrath had been having similar issues as well, letting out swear after swear every time the spell had gone wrong, opting to focus on work instead of, well, you know. But every time he seemed to get close the image of her there, sandwiched between the wall and himself would come to mind, he'd start to lose concentration and BOOM, there went his progress.

It had finally escalated to this last explosion. All he could see was green. How the hell was everything green? He coughed as green smoke filled his lungs, heading towards the lab door, needing fresh air. He stammered out of the lab, finally getting a few good whiffs of fresh air and blinking his eyes open.

There she was, this weird look on her face like she was constipated or something. "What?"

Rena opened her mouth to say something but all she could do was laugh. Just double over and laugh her heart out. "You…you are all green!"

"What?!" He yelled, blinking more furiously as he looked himself over. From head to toe every inch of him that the explosion and smoke had settled was bright green. Mozenrath scowled at his servant as she damn near fell over in laughter. Even some of the mumluks looked amused. "Stop that laughing!"

Rena was in tears by now, trying to keep from busting a gut. "I…I can't!"

Growling he barred his teeth and stomped past, heading towards the bath, trying to get her laughter out of his ears, stripping as he went, dropping his green clothes where they lie in the hallways, each landing with a puff of green smoke.

By the time he was at the bath hall he was stark naked and still pissed as hell. He stopped at the water's edge and launched forward, diving into the water, rubbing the smoky grime off his face and arms as he surfaced. With his eyes more clear he looked down at the water, it turning green from his scrubbing.

"Feel better?" Her voice asked from behind him. He gave her a glare, eyeing his green clothing in her arms.

"Go away, Rena." He told her simply, scrubbing green out of his hair. "Before I transport you to some frozen wasteland."

"I'm sorry for laughing. I couldn't stop myself."

"Well you'd better learn to! How DARE you laugh at me! It's your fault I'm like this!"

Rena quirked her eyebrow at him. "How is this my fault?"

"You and that stupid kiss…" He dug his nails into his palms, his fists shaking until he started to smack the water in a tantrum. "God, it's all your FAULT! I've wasted days on that spell and countless ingredients!" He grabbed his head in frustration. "I can't concentrate and all because of you!"

Arguing with him in this state would just make it worse so she stood there, silent and patient. "You're not the only one who's having trouble, Mozenrath." She said simply, ignoring his glare. "Just thought you'd like to know."

As she turned to leave Rena let out a yelp as her body was suddenly lifted off the ground, floating almost 10 feet off the ground. "Let me down!" She squealed dropping the clothes as she tried to flail and squirm free of the spell. "Mozenrath let me down NOW!"

He smirked, releasing her so she slammed down into the water, his green clothes floating around them, slowly soaking up water and dispelling more green into the bath. She surfaced, sputtering and soaking wet. She stood there, fully clothed and dripping wet, pissed as hell. Rena glared at him and splashed him with a wave of water. "Asshole!"

Mozenrath couldn't help a chuckle, making him feel a bit better and clearer headed. "This is a good look for you. In fact…it might just work to my benefit."

Rena watched as a thought passed over his eyes, subconsciously covering herself and sinking lower in the water to hide anything left revealed. "Just what are you talking about?"

He moved closer to her, which in turn made her scoot back. "I need new ingredients for my spells and usual seller was recently…expired."

She bumped into the bath wall but kept her eyes on him. "What's that got to do with me?"

"My new dealer has a thing for…bossy women. I think bringing you along will help me get a better deal on what I need." He pinned her against the wall of the pool, looking her up and down for a moment until that feeling started to come back so he pulled back a bit. "At the very least you can keep him occupied while I rob him blind."

Rena glared into his dark eyes. "You can't be serious."

Mozenrath just smiled smugly.

 


	30. The Bronze City

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aladdin 3 mentions! Or at least King of the 40 thieves at least.

"Why do I have to do this again?" Rena asked, looking herself over in the multiple mirrors set up in front of her.

"Because I told you to so shut up and stand still." Mozenrath said, giving her a cross expression reflected in the mirror. He smirked when she yelped, a mamluk yanking a tangle in her hair.

She hit the said mamluk and snatched away the comb, finishing her hair herself and grumbling. "I mean why do I have to dress like…THIS?"

The black haired sorcerer looked her up and down a moment. She stood haughtily in front of him, barely contained in velvety black silk with gold bangles around one ankle and gold coins sewn into a belt that jingled low around her hips. He'd made sure the halter cut of the dress was low and exposing, her back bare, revealing more of her creamy caramel-colored skin. If this ensemble didn't distract Salazar the merchant long enough to get Mozenrath what he wanted he didn't know what would. Hell the mamluks seemed to be having trouble focusing and they're undead. His own fingers itched to touch her.

Moving up behind her he took a string of black silk and wrapped it around just below her breasts, to keep the low halter from revealing too much should she need to move around, and tied it in a small bow in the middle of her back. Taking an extra second he ran a knuckle up the rest of her spine, noting how her back arched stiffly from his touch and shuddered.

"Because you're a distraction for a horny old man.”

Rena groaned, giving a displeased look at herself in the mirror. "Any skimpier and you might as well just call me your concubine."

Mozenrath huffed, stepping away from her. "Please, that's the last person I'd want to go with me…" He noticed the odd look on her face and glared at her. He knew the usually protocol of traveling nobles and land owners and how they almost always brought at least one concubine with them when invited to other lands; he'd never needed or wanted anything like that. They seemed more of a burden in his opinion. The bath incident started to float back into his train of thought and he shook his head. "Just get my things ready, we leave in the morning."

Awkwardly, she bowed, trying to make sure she didn't just fall out of the dress. "Yes, Master Mozenrath."

As she vacated the room he scowled. He was starting to despise this once ingenious plan. Despite his cool persona even he was starting to be stirred by her…erotic appearance. Again, the scene tried to make itself known and replay in his head, this time her dress had changed to that of her new black silk attire, which was more free-flowing and easier to move out of the way as his hand moved up her thigh to grab her…whoa! Where the hell was this coming from?

Fisting his hands he marched off, heading towards the lab for some last minute preparations, trying to stay away from those kind of thoughts.

~_~_~_~_~_~

Rena eyed the city as they passed through the main gates. The Bronze City was much like Agrabah in that it the houses and walls were made of mud and clay but many of the doors and tile work glittered as the sun reflected on their bronze inlays. She looked past the people on foot as she and Mozenrath rode on horseback through the maze of the bazaar, heading towards the center of the town…the palace.

Her eyes widened as she looked up to see a gleaming tower, taller than any other part of the palace, and wrapped in hammered out bronze from roof to base. Something about it just seemed so…familiar and yet distant about it. It left a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach. Rena was so caught up she jumped when Mozenrath grabbed at her reins and pulled her horse to a stop outside a massive multi-level adobe house just outside the noble's district where all the upper level society, other than the royal family, lived.

"Are you even paying attention to where you're going?" He asked, glaring at her before dismounting.

"Sorry, I was staring at the tower." She started to dismount as well, landing with a hop, eyes still staring up. "It doesn't look to have any windows."

"No doors either…" She caught him say under his breath, his tone strange and bit distant. He passed the reins off to a stable boy who'd come out to meet them and headed for the house. She did the same and followed after him, making point to walk behind him like a good servant.

An escort met them at the main doors and brought them into the spacious house, taking them down a level and into a long hallway, one that seemed longer than the house had appeared to be on the outside before reaching big, wood and bronze doors, each with a large, embellished knocker in its center. The escort banged the knocker three times before the door swung open on its own.

Inside was a massive room, illuminated by torches on pillars scattered periodically through the space. Draperies hung from the ceilings and along the walls to hide the bare, dark stone underneath and huge carpets covered the tiled floors in rich reds and purples with gold thread trim and tassels. At the far end stood a massive pile of pillows where a large, older man in his forties lay on his side being fed, fanned, and all around pampered by beautiful women watching as two scantily dressed belly dancers moved about in the empty center of the room, a small musical group off in the back corner, filling the room with melodious sound.

At the sight of them the man sat up, his goatee curving with his lips upward as he smiled. "Ah!" he bellowed loudly, arms outstretched, "Mozenrath! You are early! I was not expecting you until sunset!"

Mozenrath did not return the smile but said simply. "You make better time when you travel light. Unlike you, Salazar, I do not need an entire caravan and 20 concubines following me about when going from city to city."

“But they are what keep me warm at night! The warmth of a woman is far better than any blanket I’ve had!” Salazar laughed and stood, his height a good head higher than Rena's and Mozenrath's. He moved towards them, his robes of black and red dragging the ground behind him a bit as he walked. Warm brown eyes looked down at them, a hint of honey color to them, similar to Rena’s twinkling in the light, his gaze shifting from the sorcerer in front of him to Rena offering her his hand, which she took tentatively. "But you have brought someone else this time! And who could this fine specimen of a woman be?"

His grip turned suddenly hard as he tugged, pulling her lithe frame forward and into his waiting arms. His dark eyes raked over her silk-covered person and flashed her a glimpse of pearly white teeth as he smiled playfully down her. "A gift, perhaps, to forever stay in my good graces from the ruler of the black sands?"

"My new servant girl, actually." Mozenrath said nonchalantly. "Which I would prefer if you'd release as soon as possible."

Salazar was not oblivious, instantly noticing as the younger man's body now stood still and irritated, his gloved hand fisted at his side, shaking in anger. He chose to ignore the youth's infuriation and simply let the young woman go, heaving an over-dramatic sigh. "Pity that she's only your servant," He pouted, taking her chin between two fingers to make her look him in the eye. "If you were mine you'd have been made my concubine LONG ago. Probably even a new favorite." Pulling her face forward he slammed his lips against her own.

Rena's eyes went wide and responded on instinct, raising her hand as she pulled away and slapping her assailant across the face.

The room went still. Musicians stopping their merry tune, the dancers paused, even the waiting attendants ceased their light chatter and stared stunned at the scene. The air seemed to freeze still as Salazar touched his reddening cheek, eyes wide for a moment before letting out a belly laugh. "Got some fire in her, doesn't she? Ha! I like her! Much better a companion than that damned flying eel thing of yours."

Mozenrath instinctually grabbed her by the wrist and pulled Rena back behind him, an act of protecting what was his. He'd been ready to make Salazar's eyes rot out of his head if she hadn't pulled away and slapped the old man. Nobody touched what was his. Ever.

Salazar just continued to laugh, swinging his arm out toward the long, low table that sat just in front of his pile of pillows. "Come! Sit with me and eat before we talk business. I expect more to be arriving soon."

"More?" Mozenrath inquired, irritably. "Who else is coming?"

"Oh just Cassim and a few of his men." Salazar waved off the question. "They are bringing me a new shipment of Egyptian spices. Quite expensive and hard to move…except by a man like me of course."

The dark sorcerer nearly groaned sitting with a plop on Salazar's left. "Just a few? More than likely a dozen at least."

"Who is Cassim?" Rena inquired; moving to sit on her master's other side, as far away from Salazar as possible.

"No, no," He chided, taking her hand and yanking her onto a pillow between the two men. "Sit here. You see, Cassim is the leader of the 40 thieves, one of the most famous and ruthless thieve gangs in the seven deserts. And while they can be very entertaining company, not all of them can keep their hands to themselves, even with their leader present. But fear not, my lady, I shall keep you safe, no worries."

Rena looked to Mozenrath unsure of what to do but he said nothing, just ignoring her, eyes fixed on the doors on the other side of the room as it soon burst open, over a dozen loud and menacing-looking men pouring into the hall.

 


	31. Salazar and Cassim

Cassim came forward ahead of his gang and gave a rather over-elegant bow, smiling as he moved hastily across the room. "Salazar! You old back-stabber!"

"Cassim! Looking sloppy as usual!" The two men embraced fondly for a moment before stepping back and eyeing one another. "Always the ever-light fingered, eh?" He chuckled holding out a hand which Cassim delicately placed a small pouch of money in his open palm.

"And you are still forever vigilant!" They two men laughed together before heading towards the table. As they neared the thief stopped, eyeing the young couple. "Mozenrath, how rare to see you outside the land of the black sands." He gaze shifted and his smile widened, holding out a tender hand. "And who might this lovely lady be?"

"This is Mozenrath's servant girl…" Salazar paused and let out a swear. "Damnit I didn't even catch your name!"

"It's not the first time you never bothered to learn a woman's name, nor will it be your last, your old dog." Cassim chuckled, his dark eyes glistening with laughter.

Rena couldn't help but smile back at Cassim, something about his demeanor seeming vaguely familiar and unassuming. She held out her hand, letting him take it and with a slight bow, place a delicate kiss upon her knuckles, holding each other's gaze. "I am Rena, servant of Mozenrath."

Cassim just continued to smile, releasing her hand and rising back to his full height, hands behind his back. "A pleasure to meet you my dear."

Salazar made a face. "How come you didn't get slapped like I did? When I kissed her, she slapped me!"

"My guess would be that you tried to kiss her somewhere OTHER than her hand." Cassim chided. "In fact in all the years I've known I'm sure that's exactly what happened."

The two older men bantered a bit as Rena sat back down by Mozenrath who was giving her an odd look. She opened her mouth to ask him about it but her voice was simply hollered over as a loud gong rang out and Salazar commanded the dinner feast begin.

Women came dressed even scantlier than she was carrying trays of food and wine as the room filled with cheer and raised voices. Dancers came forward to move their bodies to the music and cast whimsical shadows upon the walls in the torchlight. Rena played her part, fixing Mozenrath's plate and pouring his drink for him while Salazar bullied her with questions about what it was like to live with the pasty-faced youth. She tired her best not to give too much away and at the same time lightly flirt with their host, as requested by Mozenrath. In the end however it was Rena who kept asking Salazar just as many questions as he did of her.

"Why are there no windows in that bronze tower?" She asked, refilling Salazar's cup for him, intentionally giving him a good look at her cleavage.

"Oh there's one window." He replied, looking down her dress for a moment. "Way up at the top. However the glare is so intense from the sun against the metal plating you can only ever really see it before or after the sun has set. After that it gets too dark to see it properly."

"What's the tower for?"

Salazar downed his cup, hopelessly ogling as Rena refilled it. "It's where the princess of this land is said to used to live."

Rena looked up from her wine pouring duties. "A princess?"

"Oh yes," Cassim chimed in. "The story goes that about 20 years ago the King summoned a witch to find out why he hadn't bear any children yet. However he was so rude to the witch that she cursed the daughter. So he had the tower built to hide her away so as not to disgrace the king with her ugliness."

“Nonsense Cassim! You’re telling the story wrong!” Salazar chided, throwing a grape at his dinner mate. “The story goes that she was beautiful and that she was supposed to fall in love with the first man she ever saw. The king kept her up there to keep her from running away with rogues like you!”

"What happened to her?" Rena inquired. "You said she USED to live there."

Salazar gave her a sad look. "Sadly she died over a year ago. You see she was getting to marrying age and instead of marrying as her father wanted she tried to escape and fell from her window. Some say that she took her own life by jumping but no body was ever found so there was never a proper funeral."

Cassim nodded, passing over his cup for Rena to refill. "A tragedy, really. To die never knowing love."

A crash came from behind Rena making her jump in her seat and turn around, eyes widening slightly as the look on Mozenrath's face. He looked upset, red-faced, pissed-as-hell and about to flip the table. Tentatively she covered his gloved hand with her own, her fingers itching from the magic it was projecting, the feel of his rage making the hairs on the back of her neck stand upright. "What's wrong?" She asked, her voice seeming to break him out of his funk long enough to look at her. He jerked his hand away from her and muttered, "Nothing."

Salazar let out an exasperated noise. "He's just being gloomy as usual. Rena!" He yelled, making her jump again in just how loudly he called her name. "Dance for us! That ought to cheer him up!"

"What?!" Rena exclaimed. "I can't dance!"

"Sure you can! I do it all the time! Here!" He stood and grabbed her hand, stepping over the table, dragging her along behind him and pulling her out onto the floor with the dancers. "Just follow their moves and you'll be great!"

Face bright red she gulped down her nerves, and tried to pull away again but Salazar's hand wouldn't budge; pulling her along with his drunken maneuverings he called dancing. Rena looked over to silently plead Mozenrath for help but he was too busy downing his goblet to pay her any attention. She eventually gave up fighting him and tried to follow along until the song ended but he just kept on dancing. He did, however, finally let go and turn his attention to one of the dancers. Rena tried to sneak away but she was snagged again, this time with less force.

"Don't sneak away." Cassim said simply, pulling her lightly about. "You were doing wonderfully." He tugged this way and that, holding both her hands and spinning her around. She couldn't help a smile that spread across her face as she danced with the two old drunks until there was a loud crash and the music suddenly stopped. The dancers stilled and started to back away from her, even Salazar and Cassim looked mildly uncomfortable.

A dark aura was coming from behind her. Turning slowly the black dressed figure stood directly behind her, fists shaking at his sides, red faced and looking down so his dark eyes were hidden under his ebony curls. And where all others backed away from him she moved forward. "Mozenra…"

He said nothing just grabbed her with glove-covered vice grip and dragged her behind him towards the exit where two servants held open the doors for them. Rena had enough time to look back at Salazar's smug look and a knowing smile from Cassim before the doors closed behind them.

"Mozenrath, what is with you?" She demanded as she was dragged down the hall. At about its halfway point he took a sharp left and the hall seemed to shift with them slightly, a door that once blended into the empty hall appearing before them, it opening by itself as they neared and slamming behind them. Only then was she able to free herself from him. "Mozenrath!"

He ripped his turban off and threw it on the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. He paced over the purple and gold threaded rug, a similar one to that of the main hall, stumbling and weaving a bit, swearing under his breath. Mid pace he turn to her and snapped, "What was all that out there?"

Rena asked confused, stepping deeper into the room. "What was what?"

"That!" He yelled, pulling off his cloak and boots, undoing the sash for his tunic. "I told you to flirt with him, not throw yourself at him!"

Now she really was confused. "I wasn't throwing myself at him I was just doing like you asked me to!"

"Bullshit!" He grumbled, pulling his tunic over his head and stumbling as he seemed to get stuck with it halfway off, adding a few more swear words.

Recognition finally dawned on her. He was drunk.

Rena closed the gap between them and pulled his tunic the rest of the way off leaving a red faced, pissed off, half naked dark sorcerer standing over her. She held his glare but did not return it. "I only did as YOU told me to do, Mozenrath. No more, no less, so don't accuse me of otherwise."

"But you were…"

"Doing EXACTLY what you want me to do. You’re the one who dressed me like this, remember?" She tried to reach past him to put his tunic on the side of the bed but he caught her upper arm, stumbling which made her stumble.

"You're MY servant."He grumbled, his eyes seeming unfocused. "You belong to ME!"

Rena rolled her brown eyes at him, "You're just drunk."

"I'm not drunk!" he bellowed, wobbling. "Just make this damn room stop spinning!"

“Here, sit down, it’ll make the spinning stop…” She chided, pushing him lightly to sit on the edge of the bed.

“STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!” He yelled, grabbing at her and rolling them around on the bed until he was above her. Lowering his head he breathed in her scent, looking at her deeply. "You belong to me and me alone." He said softly, his lips a hair away from hers.

Her heart raced in her chest, terrified he was going to kiss her again. "Don't…"

“Why not?” He whispered along her skin, his breath making her arms and legs break out in goosebumps. He tipped her chin to look at him. “What makes you think you could actually stop me from taking what I want from your body?”

 “You’re just drunk!”

“And you’re frustrating! You make everything so frustrating!” He growled down at her. “Why? Why is it that I suddenly can’t stand seeing you around other men like that? It’s your fault. You’re too pretty that now I can’t think straight anymore when you’re around. Now all I want to do is kiss you, take everything that is you and make it mine forever!”

“Mozenra…” He cut her off with a kiss, stealing her breath away along with her thoughts while hands roamed and pulled at each other. When she tried to push him away he simply gathered her wrists and pinned them above her head, ignoring her whimpers and soft pleads to stop. His glove was rough as he groped at her body, fondling her breasts through thin silk fabric. “Stop…Mozenrath please…”

“No.” He said flatly, gripping at her face to make her look at him. “I know you want this as much as I do. I can feel it!”

“But not like this!” She whimpered. Pulling a hand free from his grip on her wrists she held his face tenderly. Her touch seemed to still him, calm him and for a moment he seemed to see her with sober clarity.

FLOP! Zzz…he was out cold on top of her, dead weight knocking the air out of her lungs.

“Not this again…” She sighed exasperatedly.


	32. The Story of Mozenrath

She opened the door and stepped out into the hall, taking a moment to look over her shoulder at the passed out young man lying on dark silk sheets, snoring lightly. He'd been acting strangely since they'd arrived, moving stiffly like he had a board up against his spine, getting drunk, which she'd never expected to do, and snapping at her worse than usual. This was more than just some need between them. Something about the Bronze City was seriously messing with him. Her brown eyes softened as she watching him sleep for a moment, making sure he was breathing deeply and soundly before closing the door with a soft click.

Moving down the hall she found herself a bit at a loss. The door to their room was not nearly as far as she’d walked from it, like she was walking in place. The door to the banquet hall hadn’t seemed to get any closer either. Something about this hall wasn’t right. The prickle at the base of her neck just confirmed her suspicions.

Magic.

With an agitated sigh she kept walking forward for a few more paces until a balcony appeared on her right. Turning a harsh right as she’d done when Mozenrath was dragging her behind him it seemed to anchor the hall a bit, letting her reach the balcony with surprising ease. The cool night air was sweet with the smell of cooking meats and spices, smoke coming from a room below and a fair distance to her left. Looking back at the house behind her the confusion made sense. The house was actually built mostly underground and into a cliff-like wall. The house above was just the entrance, making it look small and unassuming but the real house was past the enchanted hallway full of rooms and people.

The balcony overlooked a courtyard and garden completely surrounded by a large stone wall, this wall separated it from another garden which she couldn’t really see past tall trees with bristly looking needles then the palace with the tower just beyond, attached by a solitary looking hallway. The sun had indeed sat but the sky was still light enough that one could just barely make out the small window high at the top of the tower, it’s insides dark and it’s shudders shut. It looked abandoned.

A flash passed over her vision. Images of wings, voices shouting and being pushed. Falling. Screaming.

Rena shook her head, blinking a few times before looking back up at the tower. It looked so much more eerie in the dark. A deep pitted feeling filled her stomach. For some reason she hated that tower.

“Needed some fresh air?” A familiar voice broke through the quiet chirping of the night crickets. Salazar stood with his large arms crossed over his broad chest, a peculiar look on his face. Was it concern? He looked up at the tower as he moved closer to her. “It’s all that pretty to look at is it? The bronzers did their best to add designs and patterns to their work but no matter what kind of art you put on such a thing, it’s still a scar on the city, isn’t it?”

“It gives me the creeps.” She admitted, staring up at the overbearing building. “But I bet it gives a nice view of the city from up there.”

“Perhaps.” He shrugged, leaning against the balcony looking at her. “Where are you from Rena?”

The young woman blushed, smiling to herself. “I don’t honestly know. I got hit in the head shortly before arriving at the Citadel. I get flashes that I think are memories sometimes but they’re still too jumbled to really piece together a history yet.”

“Pity. I bet you have quite a backstory. The mysterious ones always do.” The old man laughed at his own joke. “Although to be honest at first seeing you I thought you might be a native.”

Rena looked at him, “You’re not the first one to suggest that. A mukhtar told me I looked like someone from the Bronze City. The s…I mean a friend’s father even went so far as to say I looked like the queen.”

Salazar’s loud bark of laughter made her jump. Apparently her statement had been more humorous than even she realized. The old man was wiping away tears before he was finished laughing. “Well that is a true and rare compliment. Not many had a chance to get a good look at the Queen before she died. And he was right, she was a rare beauty, just like you.”

“Did you ever get to see her? The queen I mean?”

He nodded. “Just once, before the decree was put out. My wife worked in the palace. She was head of the palace guards. It was for a ceremony in honor of her getting the position. The queen had a sad smile but kind eyes, just like yours.”

“Oh come on, I don’t look that odd. I’ve got a friend who also had brown hair like mine.”

“True but it’s the copper in it that shows you’re a native. The old legend is that the first tribe to settle here made everything from copper, even their cups and bowls. All that copper leaked into their blood and their children started to be born with strands of copper in their hair, like yours.” Salazar explained pointedly. “I have a few children that have the same streaks you do. But I was talking more about the eyes. Such a light color is a true diamond in the rough in these deserts.”

He was right, and Rena knew it. Everyone she’d met from the lowest street rat all the way to Jasmine as royalty had dark, almost black eyes. The only one she could think who’d had different was Amal and once his eyes had started returning to human, even his eyes had started to turn black. Rena hung her head and sighed. “I wish what I knew what my parents looked like, then maybe I’d have a clue why I’m so different looking. I don’t mind in the least but, it’d still be nice to know.”

Another thing that would be nice to know is why Mozenrath had suddenly started acting so weird. She thought about him on top of her, tasting heavily of wine and figs from dinner full of want and yet still so lost. Her stomach growled and she sighed, hungry and just as confused about how she felt about him as he probably did about her.

"He always does this when he has to come to the city." Salazar said stiffly, looking down at the garden below, a look of concern filling his face. "He only comes back here when he absolutely has no choice. He hates this city. It brings back bad memories."

Rena moved away from the balcony rail towards where the large man extended an arm for her as a silent offer to be her escort back to the dinner. "Why does he hate this city so much?"

"He was born here." The old man said simply, smiling at her stunned look. "In fact his mother served in the palace as wet nurse for the princess." When her wide-eyed expression didn't lessen he continued with his tale. "After the princess was born the king passed a decree that no male may enter the palace, no one really knows why, possibly something to do with that curse, who knows. This caused a big problem, naturally, so his mother disguised him as a girl when he had to be with her in the palace. This worked for a few years until something happened and the ruse was found out. He was caught and sentenced to be immediately executed."

"That's horrible!" Rena exclaimed, pausing in her walk. "He was just a child!"

Salazar shrugged. "Rules are rules. But you're not the only one to think that way. The executioner was paid off and he was smuggled out of the palace; sent with the first caravan out of the city who promised to take care of him. They lied however and instead they sold him to Desdane who used him as a test subject for a few years until he eventually took him on as an apprentice. You know what happened after that."

"What did his mother do?" Her question hung thick in the air, the look on Salazar's face grew thin and sickly.

"She stayed as nurse to the princess, right up to her death."

Rena felt sick at hearing this. She was crying now, this story just too much. It felt like it hit far too close to home for her comfort and she couldn’t even explain why! "How could she abandon him like that?! How could a mother abandon her child to a man like him?!"

The look that floated over Salazar's face was almost cold, his voice serious and heavy. "If she had run with him the King would have surely suspected something. They would have been found out, hunted down, and killed along with anyone who helped them. Her staying was the only thing that kept her son alive for so long." Tenderly he wiped a tear from her cheek. "What she did, she did out of love. And by the time she found out about what had become of her son it was too late for either of them. Desdane had already done the damage; that boy would never be the child he once was. But what's done is done, no matter how much one wishes it had turned out differently."

Rena sniffled, wiping her eyes. "You knew her, didn't you? Mozenrath's mother I mean."

Salazar said nothing, just gave her a slight smile. "Come, there is still plenty of food. And Cassim will keep his posse under control I'll make sure of it." He offered her his hand again but she refused, instead turning to head back to the room. "Promise me," he said, causing her to pause at the door and look back at him. "You will not breathe a word of this to him. He's murder me in my sleep if he knew I told you."

Rena couldn't help but smile. "I promise, but only if you make sure to give him a damned good deal on those materials he ordered."

This made him smile, even chuckle a bit. "You drive a hard bargain, Rena. No wonder he keeps you around."

She returned the smile as watched as the old man left before sneaking back into the room. There he was, right where she'd left him; snoring away and even drooling a bit on the purple silk bedding. Smiling to herself she moved to him, taking the time to pull off his gauntlet, hiding it under the pillow she'd managed to shove under his head and cover him with a light blanket.

"Na…" He mumbled softly, under his breath, causing her to pause and lean closer, trying to make out his mumblings. "…Rena…"

She couldn't help the blush that flared over her cheeks at the thought that he was dreaming about her; lowering closer to him she braced her hands on the bed. "What is it?"

"Rena…" He said again, this time almost a whimper. He shifted, reaching out and, when coming in contact with it, grabbing her wrist.

Almost without thought she shifted and lay down next to him, and as if instinctual he reached out and wrapped his arms around her. Rena almost laughed. Mozenrath was a cuddler, who knew? But after the tale she'd just been told her amusement faded. When was the last time he'd been held like this? As a child? Did he even get to hug his mother goodbye? Such thoughts brought tears to her eyes and she wrapped her arms around his head, stroking his hair softly, saying nothing when his grip tightened around her, pulling her closer and still mumbling her name occasionally.

After her a while her eyelids began to grow heavy and sleep became ever so tempting. She fell asleep listening to him mumble her name in his sleep. "Rena…Rena…Serena…"

 


	33. Diplomatic Discussion

Mozenrath dreamt that dream again. The one with the little girl pulling him along a corridor, face smiling as sunlight glittered in through the open windows. She kept calling him something…what was it again? He’d honestly forgotten what his old name was; it was one of the many things Desdane had taken from him all those years ago. In fact, it was the first thing he’d taken, other than his memories.

She felt so real despite that though. He could fill her hand in his own, her arms wrapping around him as they cuddled together as she stroked his hair, humming a familial tune. It was so warm and calm. Perfect.

The dream had turned dark, sunlight suddenly covered by clouds and thunder. Hands were holding him back as he was ripped from the little girls grasp. All he could remember was her telling him to run, to get away and calling his name. Of a woman with dark curls and eyes, wriggling viciously and sobbing, screaming out as she kicked and yelled after him to run. He looked over his shoulder to the person holding him and saw Desdane’s wicked face.

Mozenrath bolted upright in bed in a cold sweat, panting heavily.

His mother. He’d remembered his mother. He couldn’t remember her name but he could see her face. She’d had coloring like him, but her hair was far curlier, falling in ringlets over her shoulders. He could hear her voice, singing to him softly, carrying him, holding his hand. It felt almost like he’d been breaking in smoke for years and finally the haze had lifted and he could breathe in a gulp of clean air.

The weight of something on his lap made him look down to see an arm lying limply there. He looked over to see Rena’s sleeping face, her soft expression somehow calming him out of his hasty wave of excitement at the returning bits of memories. She shifted in her sleep, pulling her arm away as she rolled from her side to her back, inhaling a deep breath and sighing it out, lips slightly parted. Her dress had shifted in her sleep, one breast a hair’s breadth from falling free of her top.

That moment in the bath sparked in his mind again and he growled, running a hand through his hair. For some reason he felt torn in two. One side wanted to throw her away, get her as far from him as possible, and the other wanted the opposite. To pull her closer, breath in her scent, kiss her until they couldn’t breathe. That feeling like a string tied around his heart winding tighter and tighter until it hurt and pulling him closer to her like a magnetic pole was starting to come back.

He threw off the covers and got out of the bed, grunting at the sudden pound of a headache in his temples and pulling on fresh clothes before marching out of the room. Halfway down the hall he took a sharp left and pushed a tapestry out of the way, entering a dark corridor which led out to a courtyard. His dark eyes blinked away the blinding light and turned right to a glade of trees where he wove through with practiced ease until he reached the corner of the high wall marking the edge of the grounds. There in the wall was a small hole, now covered over by stones and weeds. Not big enough for a full grown man but…small enough for a small boy escaping for his life to squeeze through in order to save his own skin.

He could still hear the sound of his own heartbeat thumping in his ears as he’d run through the dark courtyard beyond the wall and squirmed his way through the small hole. He’d come out the other side scraped, beaten and bruised, covered in mud when he’d run face first into a familiar face. Salazar had been kind, Mozenrath knew that, but other than a brief flash of a smiling face he could remember none of the feeling of safety. Desdane had taken it from him. Taken the hope but left the misery and tears as he was carted off kicking and screaming once again and thrown in a cage with other bodies to be sold at auction. He left the pain of being beaten and starving as other bigger and stronger slaves took what little portions of food and water he was given, and the icy promise of death in Desdane’s eyes when he’d first spotted him in the back corner of the cage, trying to hide behind another body.

It was one of the few memories Desdane had let him keep, mostly for the fear and panic it always seemed to ensue. A solid reminder that he’d had nowhere else to go but with Desdane so why try to run away and leave only to die an invalid in the desert? But a new memory came to light, full of fear and sorrow as his mother pulled him along behind her to a dark corner of a courtyard, the other side of that hole coming to view in his mind’s eye. She pulled him to her, running a hand through his dark curls and kissed away his tears, ignoring her own. “Go, my son. Through the hole. It is the only way to out of this place! You will be alone, but you will live. Go, now. Quickly!”

Closing his eyes he could hear the panic in her voice as shouting came from in the distance, a little girl still screaming and crying as she pulled free the bigger stones  from the wall, opening up the hole big enough for him to get through then covering him up again. Her last words echoed in his ears as she ran off, trying to draw off the guards looking for him.

“ _I love you my sweet shadow bird…now fly, fly far from here!”_

“Reminiscing?” A familiar voice came from behind him. Salazar placed a firm hand on his shoulder, pulling Mozenrath out of the memory. “This is the first time I’ve seen you out here since that day, Mozenrath. Is something troubling you?”

He was silent for a moment before he shrugged the hand off his shoulder, fisting his gloved hand tightly. “No, I’m fine.” As hastily as he came he started back but Salazar called out to him.

“Have you slept with her yet?” Salazar asked calmly, almost bored.

The dark youth froze in his tracks and turned to face the older male. “What?”

“You heard me. Have you slept with Rena yet?” That bored tone became cold and Salazar closed the distance between them. Very rarely had he seen this face from Salazar, whom always contrived that one got more with honey then they did vinegar. But with all the memories of cold and calculating times running through his head, cold was a conversation he could do.

“Why would I sleep with my servant?” Mozenrath held his ground, trying to sound bored and nonchalant.

“Is that really all she is to you? A servant?” The old man sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “Look kid, I know you have other plans for your time on this earth and Allah knows thanks to that gauntlet you haven’t gotten much time left but if you don’t get off that high horse of yours and face reality you’re not going to have much of a legacy after you’re sucked dry by that damned thing.”

“Legacy?” The young man questioned, chuckling calculatedly. “You know I hadn’t taken much thought to a legacy before. I suppose, if I was closer to your age, old man, that yes, a legacy might sound promising, but you know full well how much I hate children. Besides, I refuse to take on an apprentice, I know full well that should I they’d only ever be out to do just as I did to Desdane. But despite all that I still see no reason why I should bed my own servant girl.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it, Mozenrath.” Salazar responded flatly. “You have always gone your own way, especially have you were finally out from under Desdane’s thumb but what you want is impossible. One man cannot rule the whole world.”

 “That is where you are wrong, old man. I will succeed where all others have failed. I will bring down the old ways and reinstitute all by my own hand!” By now Mozenrath was livid with agitation, staring down at his gloved hand with a cruel smile as it glowed with power. “To tear down the old kings and their bullshit ideals and put my own in their place!”

“And then what? By then you’ll have used the glove to its end and you’ll be dead before you barely make your name known. And if that doesn’t happen then how will you hold your territory? Turning people into mamluks will only get you so far. And even after you get all this power what will you do with Rena? Will you discard her along with everything else that’s beneath you?”

The last question threw him off a bit, the powerlust fading just a bit. “Rena is my servant and will follow me wherever I go. That is her job.”

 Salazar grabbed him by the front of his tunic and slammed him against the nearest tree. “Rulers have plenty of servants Mozenrath, are you really gonna keep around just one? Is she that important to you? I can see it all now, keep her close, the only one you chose to trust until at last the end comes near and you will do everything in your power to live another day, even at her expense. Will you keep her around until the end? You think if she’s there she’ll mourn you?”

“Shut up.” He said, shaking with fury, his thoughts scattered and vision growing narrow with rage. He shoved his older counterpart away. “Who are you to ask what I do with my personal property? I saved her life, gave clothes to wear, food to eat and place to stay. I have been more then generous with her insufferable positivity and obstinance. Hell I already killed her once! She is nothing special to me!”

Salazar backed up a few steps and said stonily. “You’ve fallen for her, haven’t you?”

WHAM! Mozenrath’s fist impaled itself into Salazar’s cheek, knocking the old man back a few steps. “Shut the fuck up old man!”

The older man chuckled, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. “The first one was free.” and hauled into Mozenrath, knocking them both to the ground.

Everything was suddenly a fury of punches and kicks as they rolled in the dirt. Salazar had the clear advantage in the fight, landing quite a few good hits to Mozenrath’s face and gut. He soon had him pinned to the ground. “You’re broken Mozenrath. You have been ever since you crawled through that hole and left with Desdane. I should have kept you here, forced the old master to keep you one as a servant until I could make you MY apprentice so you could be close to her and your mother. I should have never let you leave and now look what you’ve become!”

The young man let out a scream of rage and managed to get the upper hand, flipping the favor and was now yelling as he wailed on the old man. “I’m stronger than you’ll ever be, than Desdane ever was! I’ll show you all I can change everything for the better! Even if it means selling my soul for power I’ll brake the chains of the old and bring everything under my power, whether they want to or not!”

“You can’t bring her back now matter how much power you have!” Salazar laid one good hit into the youth above him, knocking him to the ground. “You can’t bring either of them back!”

“Mozenrath!” A female voice yelled, followed by the running of feet and a shadow kneeling down next to him. “What the hell are you two doing?”

Salazar wiped the blood from his nose, one eye swollen shut. “Having a diplomatic discussion, nothing more.”

“Get off me!” Mozenrath bellowed, making Rena shrink back. He got wobbily to his feet and spit blood and half a tooth onto the dirt at the old man’s feet. “We’re leaving. Now!”

The dark haired young man, dirt slathered through his hair stumbled off leaving Rena a little unsure of what to do. She looked to Salazar with a confused look on her face. As she turned to follow the old man spoke.

“You don’t have to follow him, you know. He’s been on his own for so long he won’t even notice you’re gone.”

She paused for a moment, as his comforting hand moving gently to take her left hand. Rena turned around and punched him in the nose, knocking him to the ground. She glared down at the old man for a few minutes before running off to catch up with Mozenrath.

Salazar just sat in the dirt, holding his now broken nose and watched the two walk off before breaking out into a fit of laughter. “Did you catch all that?” He looked over into the darker part of the trees.

Cassim came out of the shadows, a smirk on his face. “I’m surprised you let that fight go on as long as you did. You’re getting slow in your old age.”

The bloody man chuckled, wincing as he got to his feet, holding his ribs. “Nah, I know he just needed to get some it out of his system. Although I think her punch hurt worse than any of his did.”

The old thief laughed heartedly. “Old Babs taught her well didn’t she? Your wife would be proud of her favorite pupil.” The old pair looked at each other then up towards the outer wall, where a tall, thin tower stood blindingly covered in copper in the desert sun. “You think they’ve put two and two together yet?”

“Not yet, but the way things are going they’ll get there eventually. I can only hope it doesn’t all blow up in their faces. And knowing Mozenrath, it probably will.”

“Fate can really play a cruel joke that way.” Cassim’s smile faltered a bit then. “Allah help them.”


	34. A Detour East

The black stallion gave an irritated snort as the youth tossed a hefty saddle onto its back, reaching under the beast’s belly to grab the strap and bring it around to loop through the buckle and secure it in place. Dark human eyes glared at equally dark equine ones as the horse pawed the ground, picking up on the vibe or irritation. “Shut up and stand still, stupid beast.”

“Mozenrath?” A female voice called over his shoulder, her sandaled feet coming into view out of the corner of his eyes next to him. “Is leaving like this really necessary? I mean what did Salazar say to get you so upset?”

“None of your business, Rena, just get on the horse.” He said flatly, not looking at her but his expression still aggravated.

“Leaving so soon?” Cassim hollered at the young pair, moving hastily towards them. As he came to stand next to them he placed his fists on his hips, his usual playful smile on his face. “Salazar would come see you off but he’s…well…being treated for the broken nose you gave him.”

Rena’s expression turned foul, similar to that of her masters, “He got what he deserved for knocking Mozenrath around.” Mozenrath said nothing but continued to pile things on the back of the horse, which threw Rena a little off as he would usually have added something spiteful or a snarky quip to her statement. She turned to look at him but again he avoided her gaze, focusing on the horse.

“Well, you’re probable right; he hasn’t been quite right in the head since his wife died last year, no matter how much of a show he puts on. Babs really did mean a lot to him after all.” Cassim said happily, ignoring the faltering of Rena’s hard expression or the brief pause in Mozenrath’s movements at the mention of the name ‘Babs’. “He sends his apologies and the promise of a double shipment of what you requested by the end of the week.”

Again, Mozenrath said nothing, blatantly ignoring everyone. Cassim finally rolled his eyes and added, “For half the asking price. Happy?”

Finally the dark young man turned, a huge, smug smile on his face. “Naturally. I’m always happy when I get what I want.”

It was now time for Cassim to lose his smug smile. “I couldn’t get the one specialty item you requested though. You’ll have to get that on your own. One must wonder what you’d need it for anyway.”

Mozenrath waved off the statement, still thoroughly in a good mood. “I doubted he could get that anyway, but it never hurts to ask after all.” He mounted the horse, taking a firm grip of the reins, enjoying the moment of getting to look down at everyone. “I will expect the shipment within the noted week. Just pack it up on the horse my servant rode in on. It’s enchanted to find its own way home. I do hope we can continue our fruitful business arrangements.”

Cassim just ‘hmphed’ and moved to Rena, giving her a big hug, whispering softly in her ear once they were close. “Don’t lose him to that gauntlet, Rena. You have a string of power wrapped around your heart, leading you to your destiny. Don’t be afraid to follow it and use that power when the time comes.”

Before she could speak the older man lifted her up and onto the back of the horse where she instantly wrapped her arms around Mozenrath’s waist so as not to fall backwards and off of the horse. His words rang in her ears even after Mozenrath kicked the sides of the horse, urging it forward and through the gates of the compound and into the streets of the bronze city. It wasn’t until they were well away out of the city limits and into the desert that either of them spoke.

“I’m making a small detour east.” He told her.

“Why?” She asked, looking over his shoulder to his stony expression. When he didn’t answer she let the subject slide, knowing he’d relay more information about it once they got there, as was his usual. After a while however she couldn’t stand the silence. “Mozenrath?” He didn’t say anything but gave her a quick glance. “I know the gauntlet is killing you, but, how much longer do you think you have before…”

“Before it kills me?” He finished for her, seeing her nod out of the corner of his eye. “About a year, maybe two if I don’t go overboard on using it.”

“A year?!” She exclaimed shocked not just at his statement but how calmly he said it. “That doesn’t seem like enough time to take over the seven deserts.”

“I already have plans in effect for when that time draws nearer, so don’t make such a big deal out of it.”

“Oh.” Rena said simply. There was another awkward pause. “I heard Salazar yell something out at you while you two were fighting; something about ‘you can’t bring her back’? Who’s her? You’re mother?”

He didn’t respond, just kept looking forward for a long while. She’d almost given up hope for a response when he finally spoke, making her a jump a little in surprise. “It’s not my mother.” He waited until she readjusted herself on the horse, arms gripping around his middle more tightly. “The friend I told you about. She was the one trapped up in that tower.”

“Your friend was the princess?!” Rena exclaimed in surprise. “You’re certain?”

He gave her an irritated look. “If you would recall, Desdane took most of my memories so I don’t exactly have much to go on. All I can remember is bits and pieces, mostly from dreams and whatnot. I had…a friend, and for some reason that was against the rules. She was taken away and I was to be executed, but my mother saved me. Got me the through the hole in the garden wall and to Salazar who put me on the caravan. It’s the only logic that makes sense that’d she’d be the princess. The one person who were those laws and that damned tower were made for.”

This story seemed to match up with what Salazar had told her but due to her promise of silence she simply nodded. “Can you even remember her name?”

He shook his head, a black curl falling into his face. “Not yet. But it feels like it’s right on the tip of my tongue.” His grip on the reins tightened a bit. “Everything always seems just outside of my reach. Power, control, destroying the old kings. One day…I’ll take down that old bastard, and tear down that tower. I HATE that tower…”

She smiled softly. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I just keep dreaming about someone named Mariah. I think she was my mother, or maybe an aunt.”

Mozenrath made a face. “I don’t care about YOUR dreams, Rena. You’re the one asking ME things.”

She silently rolled her eyes at his back. “Of course, Mozenrath.” After a few minutes of silence she rested her head on his back, shifting slightly on the back of the horse, trying to get more comfortable. “Hey Mozenrath?”

“What?”

“I hate that tower too.”

He didn’t answer her.


	35. Journey into the Big Blue

“Wake up.” Mozenrath snapped, nudging his left arm back to bump into Rena’s nose, startling her awake. They’d been riding for over a day, pure exhaustion causing Rena to fade in and out for the past several hours. She’d finally found a semi-comfortable position resting her forehead between his shoulder blades, letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her into unconsciousness. Now she was awake, and cranky.

“What now, are we finally here?” She asked groggily, trying to yawn away her irritation. “My backside is numb from this stupid horse.”

The young man just grunted mildly in agreement before maneuvering the beast up a small dune to pause at its top. Rena blinked against the sunlight but gasped as the heady smell of salt air and drum of waves crashing caused the sleepiness to fade away. “Oh Mozenrath…it’s beautiful…”

He just rolled his dark eyes and unhooked himself from her grip, dismounting. He paused to stretch a bit, before offering her a hand down absentmindedly. He didn’t hide the humor from his face when her legs gave out the moment they hit sand, they had been riding for 2 solid days after all. He’d never admit to her how much he enjoyed the fact that she’d all but fell into his arms like some swooning damsel. But when that nagging little voice came up and began whispering about kissing her where they stood he left her there, gaining her balance back as he plucked the saddlebag from the horse’s backside and waved a hand over the beast, making it fade into smoke and sand.

“Mozenrath, why did you bring us here?” Rena asked, shielding her eyes against the sun with her hand, sweat trickling down the nape of her neck. Wobbly she moved to the edge of the waterline, letting the tips of the foamy waves nip at her toes. “I’ve never seen the sea before.”

He just looked at her with an irritated expression, dropping the bag he had over his shoulder onto the ground with a thud. And as nice a day as it was to be at the beach she was pretty sure this wasn’t for recreation.

She couldn’t help but stare at it though. This WAS the first time she’d ever seen the ocean and with its rolling waves, blue water and calm wind it was a sight to behold.

“Take off your clothes.” Mozenrath ordered flatly, beginning to disrobe himself.

She balked at his words, unable to keep the stupid expression of her face as he looked at him. “What?!”

“Just get undressed.” He snapped back, glaring. “Don’t make me do it myself, I wouldn’t be gentle.”

“I’m not taking a scrap of clothing off until you give me a reason why.”

“Because I said so, that’s why!” He bellowed, now shirtless except the glove on his right hand and bandages over the rest of his arm. He squatted down and started rummaging through the bag for something and tossing a strip of cloth to her. “Wear that if you must but the rest of you needs to be naked for this to work.”

She caught the fabric and looked it over. A tube top, similar to the one Jasmine wore except this one was a dingy reddish-brown, hung on her fingers. “This just raises more questions.”

He let out an exasperated sigh and stood a leather mechanism dangling by his side as he marched up to her. “Look, I need your help getting something out there and I’m pretty damn sure you don’t know how to swim, right?”

She thought about it for a second, looked out to the ocean, then back and shook her head.

“So unless you want to drown just shut up, get naked, put that on, and GET IN THE DAMN WATER!” He yelled the last bit and marched back to the abandoned satchel to continue rummaging through it.

She made a face at his back before begrudgingly starting to strip. She folded her clothes and sandals carefully and hid them behind a nearby rock before dawning her new “boob cover” as Mozenrath had called it once, and hastily got into the sun-warmed water until she was waist deep, turning around and away from the dark haired male still on the beach when she noticed just how disrobed he himself was.

She heard splashing from behind her as he entered the water but didn’t look behind her. She heard him mutter something before her legs started to tingle and suddenly collapsed out from underneath her causing her to completely submerge for a moment. Rena flailed for a moment, thrashing in the sea until she managed to float her body enough to bob her head above water. Mozenrath was beside her, wet headed as well, his dark curls plastered to the sides of his face, expression still foul. When she tried to kick her feet she felt the sensation of them being stuck together and ended up flinging herself to the left. “What did you do to me?”

He rolled his eyes and gave her a ‘you’re a moron’ look. “Just submerge and look for yourself.”

Taking a second to right herself she took a breath and submerged awkwardly. As she opened her eyes she was surprised to notice that the salt in the water didn’t sting, but that small wonder was quickly overlooked as she started awe struck at the tail that now replaced her legs. It was a muddy red color, like the color of red clay, with a deep burgundy tail fin where her feet used to be. She sat there bobbing in the water for so long it took her second to realize she was breathing while still submerged.

With a flick of her tail Rena moved into deeper water, twitching here and there in attempt to figure out how the mechanics of moving underwater worked. As she practiced her hair kept getting in the way so she swam low and grabbed a piece of seaweed, using it to tie her hair back, up and out of her vision.

“Now do you get why you had to disrobe?” came Mozenrath’s voice. She turned to see him swim up from behind her, moving about her with great ease in the water. His tail was much darker than hers, purple with black fins, looking more like a shark’s than a regular fish’s tail. His glove still remained but where the bandages had been was now covered in a leather harness from beneath the glove all the way to his shoulder, where a strap wrapped over his thin frame to belt around behind his back and loop under his left armpit. “It’s more convenient than waterlogged wrappings.”

She smiled lightly at him. “It looks nice. Did you make it yourself?”

“Naturally. Now hurry up we have a ways to travel yet.” He started out towards deeper water, his tail moving left and right, again, like a shark, propelling him hastily forward. She started after him awkwardly and after the second time of stopping and waiting for her he growled and grabbed her hand, yanking it almost out of socket as he hauled her behind him.

They swam for about an hour until they were well into the ocean and away from shore before moving deeper into the dark water. As her eyes adjusted Rena watched as local sea life moved about their usual lives, not paying them much attention. After a while they came to a cliffside where they stopped and ducked out of sight as a great white swam past, looking for its next meal. Her caramel eyes ogled at the sheer size of the beast while it cruised through the water, black eyes on the hunt. As it disappeared into the depths he yanked her along a while longer until they reached the lagoon of a small chain of islands. The sand underneath them was a creamy white, almost the color of milk while the water was crystalline blue; but as Rena started to swim towards the surface a gloved hand yanked her back down.

“Don’t.” He warned. “If you get out of the water the spell will disappear and you’ll be back to having legs. Ships like to occasionally dock in this lagoon, and if they catch you it’s more trouble than I want to deal with.”

“Alright, so then what are we here for?” She asked looking him in the eye. Rena watched as a smirk crossed his face.

“We’re here, for that.” He pointed towards the deep part of the lagoon. As they moved closer they could see a whole slew of sunken ships littered the bottom of the lagoon. Ships of all shapes and sizes scattered here and there, and all seemed to be teaming with life as mermaids and fish alike moved throughout, much like a bustling town below them. “This is Zealaguna, a sub-region of Atlantia, the kingdom on the mermaids.”

“It’s amazing!” She gawked, watching as a school of fish moved through the underwater town, periodically stopping as other pasted in front of them before moving on. “But why are we here?”

“We’re here to get into there.” He pointed to a large set of ships, three or four of them piled on top of each other making a massive castle-like structure compared to the other ships surrounding it. “Barbaraca rules this region as crown regent in King Triton’s absence. But as of yesterday, she’s been called away to the capital and left her eldest son in charge.”

As he explained what was going on a shiver ran up her spine. Something about his voice made her turn to look at him. “How do you know all this? And what does this all have to do with you and me?”

“Simple. You are here to help me find a way into the palace while I’m here to steal a moon tear.” He smiled wickedly.

 “What’s a moon tear?”

“None of your concern just know that they are extremely rare and I need to get one by the full moon in three days time.”

“But why…”

“Stop asking questions and just follow me!” He snapped, swimming past her and down to the edge of town, pausing around the corner of the nearest ship and waiting till a few fish swam past. “Now, you’re job is simple. Meet the prince and get him to show you where they keep the moon tears. After I get my hands on one we’re good to go.”

“Wait,” she paused in her swimming and looked at him. “Why do I have to do it?”

“Because I need to be available to snag the tear while you keep him busy. Besides, you’re a girl, use it to your advantage like you did with Salazar. Some of that ‘feminine wilds’ or whatever.”

Rena gawked at him, stopping dead in the water. “You’re joking, right? I tried that with Salazar and you threw a drunken fit, remember?”

He stopped as well and turned to her. “No, I’m not joking. And I didn’t throw a fit, I was merely irritated of your over-doing the flirting thing. Obviously I can’t do that kind of stuff AND steal the tear.” She opened her mouth to complain to which he held up a hand. “Look that way.”

Rena had enough time turn her head to the left before something slammed into her, both she and it letting out grunting sounds as they were flown off course and slammed into the side of a ship, a green and yellow awning that had been put up by the ship’s owner, knocking loose and falling on top of them.

Everything was a blur of green and yellow which she tried to get loose of with a good flick of her tail only to slap someone in the face with it.

“Ow!” Came a deep male voice, a dark hand coming out of nowhere and yanking the fabric off her head. There floated a merman with the prettiest eyes she’d ever seen. They were bright and beautiful while everything else about him was dark: deep purple tail, dark hair in neat rows against his head which were all tied back together at the nape of his neck, dark brown skin, ice blue eyes and big growing red mark on the side of his face.

She paled and covered her mouth. “Oh I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to slap you like that.”

To her surprise he smiled, rubbing his cheek. “You wouldn’t be the first woman to do that.” He held out a hand and helped her off the sandy ground. While her mind may have still been on having feet and getting to them, her tail was still new and instead launched her into his arms, only sheer strength keeping them upright. Rena blushed and awkwardly apologized again, pushing away from him. “I’m sorry, I’m…um…” her mind went blank, she couldn’t exactly tell him that it was new and she wasn’t used to having a tail. “I’ve been out of the world for a while and I’m still not used to being in such closed spaces again.”

To her surprise he seemed to believe, smiling softly at her. “It’s alright. Where are you from?”

Rena paused again, desperately trying to think. This was so much easier with Salazar as he was just an old man and not an underwater person. She hadn’t to make up a completely new identity to get by on the surface! “The…Mediterranean Sea…originally anyway. Like I said, I’ve been out in the deep for a good while now…um…researching new…kelp…recipes.”

“Uh huh…” He nodded slowly looking her over a second. She bit her lip as he did so, wringing her hands nervously. “So find any good ones?”

“Good what?”

“Kelp recipes.” He smiled. He could melt chocolate with that smile, especially when he flashed his pearly why teeth which surprisingly looked very sharp.

“Oh! Yeah, I uh…” She looked around for inspiration but found nothing but ogling passerby’s. “You know, I didn’t catch your name. I should at least know your name so I can apologize properly and all.”

He laughed and bowed to her. “I am Prince Starus of Zealaguna. And you are?”

Rena froze. Should she give her real name or make up a fake one? What should she do? Without thinking she blurted out. “I’m Rena.” ‘Damn, too late now.’ She told herself.

He took her right hand and kissed the top of it. “It was a pleasure to meet you Rena, even if you did slap me.”

She blushed again, watching his eyes and how they seemed to sparkle as he smiled at her. “Nice to slap you…I mean meet you! Oh wow I’m really bad at this…”

He held her hand a little longer than what would be expectable on the surface (but for all she knew that could be the thing here under the sea) before letting go and turning to leave. “Hope to see you again soon, Rena.”

As he began to swim away she could see Mozenrath out of the corner of her eye, motioning with a jerk of his head to go follow the prince, a glare of an expression on his face to hurry up. Rena gulped and took a deep breath before yelling out. “Prince Starus,” gulping again when he actually stopped and looked back to her; she swam to him and said the first thing on her mind. “I’ve never been to Zealaguna before and I have no idea where anything is around here.”

Starus just smiled softly; obviously he wasn’t oblivious as her subtlety was the size on a whale. “Would you like me to show you around?”

Rena relaxed a bit that he’d caught on so quickly to what she was meaning. “Oh yes, that would be fantastic. But only if it’s not too much of an inconvenience to you.”

He offered her his arm which she happily took and they moved off through the gawking crowd while one stayed back, not looking surprised in the least.


	36. Moon Tears and Marriage Proposals

Starus was a true gentleman, or gentlemerman, as it were. He showed Rena the entire town and even offered to send for her for dinner that evening as well as a place to freshen up beforehand. Mozenrath’s plan had completely slipped from her mind as she sat in front of a mirror, humming lightly as she ran a coral comb through her hair. That is until she caught his reflection in the mirror.

“Glad you’re having fun.” He grumbled as he snuck past the curtain and into her dressing area.

She glared at his reflection. “You told me to use my ‘feminine wilds’ on him. I’m guessing this is what you meant?”

He shrugged, acting nonchalant. “For the most part. You definitely have his complete attention, just don’t get carried away. We only have three days.”

She adjusted her hair putting a blue flower up to her ear, frowning, and putting it back down. “Don’t remind me. He’s very kind, I feel bad doing this.”

Mozenrath glared, plucking a red flower from a nearby plant and handing it to her. “This one. It matches your hair better. And don’t start getting mushy now. You need to be careful. Mermaids are still fish and as such give off hormones through the water. If you play this game too long, it can start to affect you.”

“You mean if he likes me I’ll start to like him back?” She questioned.

“I’m saying that hormones are a powerful part of physiology. They can mess with throw a huge problem into a very good plan in an instant.” His words carried a hint of almost experience. “But most of all remember, if you back out now, I’ll reverse the spell on you and you’ll be left naked and drowned on the ocean floor.”

She gave him a shocked look, her brown eyes wide as she stared into his dark ones. “You wouldn’t!”

He just smiled wickedly and tucked the flower into her hair, running his gloved fingers around her neck briefly as he stared down her reflection. “In an instant.” He moved away from her, heading back to the curtain, giving her one last look. “Never forget who you belong to, Rena.”

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

He’d been keeping an eye on her since she’d gone off with him, watching to see if this was really that easy. His dark eyes kept vigil as they’d gone through the length of ships that was the underwater equivalent of the market, narrowing his gaze when the prince put his arm around her waist to keep her from getting separated from him in the busy bazaar. Yeah right.

It wasn’t until the offer for dinner crept up that his blood really began to boil. That look of delight on her face when he’d kissed her hand again. Was she seriously enjoying this bastards company? Clearly that flirting practice with Salazar had done the trick to really get into this game. If he didn’t need that moon’s tear he would have turned that fishy boy into a minnow and gotten the hell out of here, or better yet never brought her down here in the first place. He’d tried a disguise with the prince before and that was a bust so now she was his only chance. Damn it, that smug asshole needed to stop looking at her like that. She was HIS property, not some kiss happy prince’s!

So when she’d finally be left alone he’d given her a gentle reminder about what would happen if she tried to back out or go soft on the plan. After all she’d looked like she was almost enjoying the attention. Rena didn’t need that kind of attention going to her head. She wasn’t anything special after all…

While she was busy entertaining the prince he took this opportunity to take a look around. Using the gauntlet had to limited to very minimum spells because they, much like him, had alarms here and there whenever heavy magic was being used, especially around the treasure rooms, not to mention guards galore. He kept to the shadows to the best of his ability and had managed to make it fairly close to the main treasure corridor when familiar voice began to carry his way.

“What is a Moon’s tear, anyway?” Rena’s voice carried down the hall, her shadow could be seen arms link with another as she moved closer.

“It’s a type of gemstone that can only be found here. It’s said that hundreds of years ago the spirit of the moon fell in love with the spirit of the ocean. The sun became jealous and banished the moon to hang in the sky and be forever apart from her love. She began to cry and her tears, once they touched the water, turned into stones. This is the only place in all of the seven seas where they’ve been found. That’s one reason why both humans and merfolk come here.” Starus’s voice chimed, eyes soft as he looked down at her. “Some believe they are magic.”

“Magic?” She said, giving him an innocent look, smiling. “How neat! I’d love to see one, or would that get you in trouble?”

Starus paused, his smile wavering slightly. “No trouble, but, you must promise not to tell a soul about me bringing you to see them. Promise?”

Rena nodded, crossing an ‘x’ over her heart, making Mozenrath roll his eyes. “I promise.”

Starus’s smile returned full force and he tugged her towards a small treasure room off to the side of main vault. He spoke a few words in a language she didn’t understand, possibly Atlantian was her best guess, and the door swung open. They entered one after the other and the door swung shut softly behind them. At first the room was so dark that she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face, but slowly glowing lights on the walls began to resonate and illuminate. Inside the room was a single table with a box made of red coral. Starus placed his hand on the top of the box, said a couple more words in Atlantian and the box popped open. Inside glowed dozens of little blue gemstones of various sizes and all in the shape of teardrops.

Rena’s eyes widened as she admired them. “They’re beautiful, Starus!” She looked from him to the stones and back again. “They look like the color of your eyes!”

Starus just chuckled. “My mother says the same thing, ever since I was little.” He took a small stone out of the back and handed it to her. “Here, take a closer look.”

The brunette examined the stone, holding up to the light and watching it sparkle before offering it back to him. “They really are beautiful.”

“Yes,” He moved closer, taking her chin in his finger and lifting it up to have her look at him. “You are.”

Rena gulped her inner self beginning to panic slightly. True Starus had been nothing but a complete sweetheart up to this point but his was happening very fast, way too fast for comfort. She’d played the ruse, flirted her little heart out to get in here, now where was Mozenrath? “Starus, I…” She didn’t get any farther than that when the prince swooped down and kissed her. It was neither forceful nor gentle. A true and solid kiss, full of want and, dare she say it, love. In comparison to her only other experience with kissing, it was like night and day.

Her head suddenly started to feel a little fuzzy and she neither pushed him away, nor encouraged him but simply waited until he pulled away. “Starus, I think you might be going a little too fast here…”

“Marry me.” He said solidly, a playful smile on his face.

“What?!” Her eyes went wide. She must have heard him wrong. He couldn’t have said…

“Marry me.” He repeated, taking her hand. “Make me the happiest merman in the seven seas and become my wife.”

She tried to back away but he wouldn’t let go, that fuzzy feeling starting to make her skin itch, especially where he was touching her. “Starus, I’m flattered, really, but…I…I can’t.”

His expression faltered, blue eyes filling with sadness. “Why not?”

“You’ve only just met me; we know next to nothing about each other, this is way too soon!” She rambled out, looking at the door frantically, hoping it would open up if she could only get to it. Something wasn’t right, it was almost like an odd aftertaste in the back of her mouth. Her whole body was feeling horribly…off.

“It’s alright, royal courtships are well known to be very minimal. My parents didn’t first meet face to face until the day before their marriage. Besides, we’ll have the rest of our lives to get to know one another.” He chimed, fluffing off her reasons.

“That’s not all of it though. I…uh…I’m engaged. To another man…merman…” She lied, not meeting his eyes, there was a weird warm feeling pooling in her belly, making her insides start to cramp. “In fact I’m sure he’s looking for me right now so I should go.”

“But it can’t be,” He said sadly, holding onto her hand, more tightly to the point the moon’s tear was starting to dig into her palm painfully. “You are truly the most perfect women I’ve even known! You must be mine!”

“Starus, let go. You’re hurting me hand!” Rena was now starting to get a little frantic. The look in his eyes was desperate, and warning bells were sounding in her head.

“No! I WON’T LET YOU GO!” He bellowed, tightening his grip and she cried out, not really noticing how his pupils had started to dilate, the stone cutting into her hand till droplets of blood started to float about in the room.

“HEY!” Yelled a third voice that made both of them turn. There in the doorway floated Mozenrath, eyes black and enlarged just like a true shark at the smell of blood. His hands were balled up into fists, teeth gritted and ready to pounce at any given time.

“Mozenrath!” Rena called out; trying to swim to him but Starus still had a grip on her hand, although it had lessened in its vice-like strength. That knot growing her stomach starting to recede at the sight of him as did the haze in her head, like trying to swim through murky water and finding a clear spot amongst the muck.

“This is your intended?” Starus asked calmly, his stance also on edge but by far in more control that the other man’s. “This scrawny pup one could barely call a male?”

Rena yelped lightly as Starus raised his hand high, straining her arm as it pulled at an awkward angle. “Yes, he is!”

“Let her go!” Mozenrath ground out, practically baring fangs if he had any. “She’s mine and you can’t have her!”

Starus let out a growl that sounded more animal than man. He released Rena’s hand and she flung herself against Mozenrath’s body, cradling her bleeding hand with the other, shaking from both fear and adrenaline. To her surprise, his right arm encircled her, the rough leather of the gauntlet hold firm on her waist, tingling slightly with enraged magic.

Starus’s eyes undialated a fraction at the sight of her bleeding hand, reaching out slightly but grimacing as she flinched away, moving deeper (if it were possible) into Mozenrath’s arms. He looked like a little boy who’d just kicked a puppy for eating his favorite toy and now regretted his actions. But as Mozenrath put a second arm around Rena, bringing her close the guilty look vanished, his hand fisted and moved back to his side. “If she is truly yours then you will fight for her.”

They both looked at him, one with anger, the other with surprise.

“If you win, you may keep your woman and I’ll even throw in the moon tear she has. But if I win, Rena is mine. Now and forever!” Starus declared, turning his gaze to the open door. “Guards! Take these two to one of the guest rooms. Tomorrow he and I will do battle in the arena to settle who will marry the beautiful Rena!”

The pair was suddenly surrounded by several guards, each carrying a spear and several aiming their weapons at them as they were escorted out of the treasure room and away from Starus.


	37. Wrapped Apology

Rena and Mozenrath were escorted via armed guard to one of the more extravagant bedrooms of the wooden palace. At one time it had more than likely been the captain’s quarters of the ship as many of the surfaces were polished and hand carved with decorative inlays and even a window or two were still solid with glass but now it seemed more like a prison than a place of relaxation.

As they entered one of the guards ripped the blood stained moon tear out of Rena’s hand, informing her she’d get it back once the fight was over, more than likely as a wedding present from the prince. As for Mozenrath, the pasty-faced youth stayed surprisingly quiet all throughout the halls and into the room, at least until the door was shut and bared from the outside.

“Great! Just great!” He yelled at her. “Look what you got us into now!”

“Oh no you don’t!” She was in front of him and in his face in an instant, which caught him off guard. “You will NOT put this on me again! I let your belly aching about seducing men go last time because you were falling down drunk but like hell am I going to let it go this time!” She poked him in his bare chest, propelling him backward slightly through the water. “You were the one who told me to flirt and use my ‘feminine wilds’ to get you a moon’s tear. You’re the one who threw me into a literal collision course with the prince and started all this. You’re the one who told me to go all in otherwise you’d reverse the spell and just let me drown down here and by Allah I will not let you bully me into thinking this is anything but YOUR FAULT! Running errands for you, cataloging the library and cooking your meals is one thing but I’m not some slut you can whore out just to get what you want so stop trying to use me like one then get mad when other men actually start to fall for me! So just shut up and stop whining like some love sick puppy and act like a MAN for a change! YOU got me into this so YOU get us out of it!”

Her vision was blurred by then due to tears so she couldn’t see his expression and frankly she didn’t really care if he was pissed off or not. Her head still felt slightly fuzzy as she swam away from him to sit on the edge of the bed, facing away from him and cradling her injured hand while her shoulder shook with sobs. The room was silent for a long while minus the sounds of her crying. She didn’t know if he was still floating there or if he’d moved yet but again, the stitching on the blanket underneath was more interesting than whatever the hell he was doing.

Rena heard him clicking and thumping around somewhere off to her left for a moment before she felt the spot next to her sink a little as he sat down next to her. “Turn around.” He commanded.

“No.” She snapped back, curling deeper into herself. He stopped her with a gloved hand on her shoulder and pulled her around to face her.

“Give me your hand.” He said, reaching for it, which she coiled back, again, with a solid ‘no’. He growled and snatched her wrist, yanking her arm forward with his left hand and slapping away her feeble attempts to stop him with his right. “Let me see it, Rena.”

At the sound of her name she stopped fighting. It was a rarity for him to speak her name and the tone which he used sounded almost…concerned. Tentatively she uncurled her fingers to reveal her blood stained palm, a large crescent shaped gash crossing over her tender flesh. She hissed when he touched it delicately, the rough texture of his glove making it sting. He instantly pulled back and muttered a word she hadn’t heard from his lips since that day in the bath hall after he’d nearly killed her.

“Sorry.” He said under his breath, reaching for a strip of bandage he’d procured from the attached washroom and began to slowly wrap the wound, being careful to keep the wrapping snug but not overly tight.

“What did you say?” She asked, wiping away her tears with her free hand, still sniffling slightly.

“I’m not going to repeat myself, Rena.” He said with a warning tone, focusing on his work. He tied a small knot on the backside of her hand, his movements finally becoming still. He didn’t look her in the eye but did something that nearly knocked the softly spoken apology out of the park. He brought her palm to his lips and kissed the wound, almost motheringly.

Her heart felt like it was suddenly doing backflips with her stomach. He was actually showing…care! Mozenrath never CARED about anything, except his gauntlet, his lab, and occasionally Xerxes. He never…I mean why would he…ugh, her head was starting to hurt.

They sat like that for a few seconds, him holding her injured hand in his before her fingers began to itch and tingle, needing to move before they fell asleep. She cleared her throat, “So what do you think will happen tomorrow?”

“More than likely a trial by combat. Starus is renowned for his excellence with a spear and sword.” Mozenrath let go of her hand and turned, looking out the windows at the ocean blue. “Needless to say it will be a fight to the death.”

“Death?” She squeaked, swallowing hard. “Surely he wouldn’t…”

“Mermen are very territorial over whatever female they’ve chosen for their mate. They will kill any male that gets too close for comfort to their female. That’s why mermaids outnumber mermen 3 to 1.” He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, like he was repeating something he’d read in a book, his expression bored with a hint of irritability. The youth let out an exasperated sigh and flopped back onto the bed, glaring up at the ceiling. “Guess I’ll just have to kill a prince.”

Rena looked down at him, watching as he moved his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. She hadn’t really noticed just how exhausted he looked. “Can’t you just…mortally wound instead? What about using magic to take the advantage?”

He opened one eye and looked at her for a second before closing it again. “Same reason I didn’t use magic to simply steal a moon tear, and take us home the moment you got your hands on one. There’s magical barriers up all over the palace that prevents me from doing even simple tasks like healing your hand. Now it’s just a simple waiting game on getting into the arena and finding the perfect window of attack.”

She looked down at him, watching him slowly inhale and exhale the water around them. Despite the gill-like alterations she’d noted behind his ears his chest still rose and fell like he was breathing in air. That fuzzy feeling that’d been loitering around in the back of her mind started to buzz, like a mosquito flying about her head irritably. “Do you think you can win against him?”

He said nothing for a brief moment. “Do you want me to win?”

The question surprised her. She sat up a little, to look his expression over. “What do you mean, do I want you to win? Of course I do!”

His dark eyes met her caramel brown ones. “If I died you would be released of my service, free to go wherever you chose to go. I know Salazar would be more than happy to take you into his care and…ow!” He shrank away from her, yanking his arm back from where she’d pinched him and sat up. “What was that for?”

“Let me make one thing very clear, Mozenrath. You are a horrible person. I know this better than anyone. But I also know the reason behind your horribleness. And despite this, and all of your many, many faults, I for some reason don’t much like the idea of your dying.” Her look softened a hint, just around the edges of her eyes, leaning over him a bit, that buzzing a hint louder and the tips of her fingers started to itch. “So, do me a favor and don’t die tomorrow. Alright?”

He made a face of irritation. He took her wrist and pulled her into his arms, tipping her chin so her lips were a breath away from his, dark empty eyes staring down into her caramel ones. “Don’t claim to know me so well, woman. I’m not some cliché bad guy who’s all soft in the middle like you hear in tales in the marketplace.  If your death meant the difference between ruling the world and not I’d kill you in a heartbeat without a second thought.”

Rena stayed there, looking up at him, the roar of her own heartbeat in her ears and blinked at him. She pulled her hand from his grip on her wrist easily, pressing her bandaged palm into his gloved one, feeling the magic tingle against her fingers. That familiar feeling of something squeezing around her heart like a thread, pulling her towards him came back and she knew without a doubt.

He was lying.

She leaned up and past the space that separated them, pushing her lips against his own. They were warm and soft yet demanding as they had been then first night they’d kissed. His arm snaked around her waist while her fingers laced with gloved ones, closing her eyes as a slight wimpy moan escaped her lips. His left hand moved up along her skin while his mouth found her pulse beating heavily against her collarbone and bit it hard enough to make her breath hitch. That damned buzzing feeling was the only thing she could seem to hear beside the blood rushing from her head to pool in her lower belly. In the back of her mind a faint thought asked how they’d do it in this kind of form but when he started to suck on that spot her mind went blank again.

That feeling of magic, growing again the palm of her hand snaked its way through her bloodstream up to her heart nearly knocking the breath out of her as she opened her eyes to look into his own until a pounding on the door pulled them apart, a guard yelling through the door a warning that if they tried to use magic one more time there’d be no need for a battle the following day, they’d both be executed on the spot for using magic without strict permission from the queen herself.

Rena pulled herself from his lap, floating a ways back from him before excusing herself to the washroom, closing the door behind her. Tentatively she looked down at the bandage on her hand, peeking under it a smidge to find the cut now completely healed. Had he done that on purpose, or did it have something to do with that feeling she got whenever she was with him like that? The brunette looked over to the mirror and eyed her reflection, who seemed just as lost as she was. What’s a girl to do? Had to be the pheromones he’d been talking about. Fish just get way too horny for their own good.

 


	38. Piercing Battle

By the time the battle was to begin the following day the rumor of the prince fighting had spread like wildfire through the aquatic city. As both Rena and Mozenrath were escorted to the arena cheers could be heard from the stands where merfolk and fish life alike sat/floated awaiting the competition. Starus was already in the arena, decked out in full battle gear including metal plate chest armor, his military rank stamped into the metal above his heart and a shiny silver helmet complete with a purple plume on top, marking him as royalty. Mozenrath had been given no armor save for the leather harness on his right arm and his gauntlet but was allowed a spear, which was a poorer quality version of the one in Starus’s hand.

Upon entering the arena Rena’s arms were seized by two royal guards and held back in the corner of the open arena, forced to sit on the sidelines and watch the upcoming event unfold. She looked up to her guards and begged with them. “At least let me speak with him before the battle starts!”

One guard looked down and he considered her for a moment. He then looked to his associate guard and nodded, “Giving last regards? You have one minute.”

Rena swam to Mozenrath’s side, who was moving the spear around a bit, testing its weight in his hand. “Have you ever used a spear before?” She asked, touching his shoulder.

“Not very well. Desdane encouraged some basic training but not enough to cause any real damage, especially if I showed promise with the weapon.” He was more focused on the weapon than her, seeming to test the weight of it in his hands. “I’ll have to wing it.”

She moved in front of him, putting her back to Starus and leaning in close, making Starus’s expression grow dark as he watched them. “Aim for the weak spots in his armor like his sides or armpits, if all else fails use it like a staff and broad side him with it. It’s my best guess on how to take him down quickly.”

He glared at her slightly. “I’m not stupid. I know what to do.” He started to push past her but she called out his name loudly, more than just to get his attention. When he turned she took his face in her hands and kissed him, deeply and long enough for Starus to see as well as the rest of the crowd, which fell a breath quieter in it cheers for Starus then raised at the show of public affection. When she pulled away her expression was worried with a hint of fear. “Good luck. And don’t you dare die on me!”

By now Starus, who’d witnessed the display, was furious to the point the tips of his ears were red and a vein in his neck had begun to pop out. As the guards pulled Rena safely back to the edge of the field he let out a war cry and charged the dark youth. Mozenrath managed to block the first attack but took a hard hit to the gut with the shaft of the spear that knocked him back a few feet.

Each blow was hard enough to knock the spear from Mozenrath’s hands but every time a hit came he managed to keep a grip on it, mostly by sheer luck. It was clear Starus had the upper advantage, making several blows to his smaller opponent that sent him flying like a ragdoll around the arena but still the young pup wouldn’t stay down. By the time Mozenrath flew back and hit the stadium wall and slumped to the ground his skin was already starting to turn black and blue, his head bleeding and dizzy from the starts of a concussion, Starus briefly thought the battle might be over. The prince flicked his tail and backed up a few paces as Mozenrath got up and this time HE took the offensive.

The young man charged at the prince, stabbing the spear here and there, even managing to strike the prince on the left bicep and draw blood but it was nothing Starus couldn’t dodge. He could tell from Mozenrath’s expression of determination and fury that if he didn’t end this battle quickly the boy would keep going until he killed himself from exhaustion. As Mozenrath rose the spear to try for a head blow Starus feinted left and stabbed out his spear, smiling a little at the sound of metal piercing flesh as his blade sunk deep into the young man’s side. He could hear Rena’s screams for mercy from the sidelines where she was yanking and tugging to try to get loose from her handlers but they fell on deaf ears as he yanked the now bloody spear from its piercing spot and watched Mozenrath fall to the ground and fade into unconsciousness, blood floating about in a haze. The crowd cheered at their prince’s victory, he raised the bloody spear above his head and turned to the crowd, letting out a cry of triumph.

“I am victorious!” He bellowed, the cry of the crowd rising as he turned to look back at his fallen prey, a smug smile on his face.

SHUNK! A pain began to resonate from his belly which made his eyes go wide in surprise. He looked down to see the tip of Mozenrath’s spear shoved through him like a skewer. But the biggest surprise was the splash of red and brown that moved in front of him as caramel color eyes burned with fury. “You. Will. Not. Kill. Him.” She accentuated each word slowly so he could hear the rage in each syllable. Rena yanked the spear from the wound and moved it so the point wavered a hair’s breath away from his throat. “And you will NOT have me!”

For a brief moment a twinge of fear speared through Starus like lightning. This woman was willing to kill a prince over this worm of a male.

“I’m beginning to think this mermaid doesn’t like you Starus.” An alto voice came from behind him. The crowd had gone silent, each creature of the deep slumped in a bow as a shadow moved over his bleeding figure.

Starus turned and stared into icy blue eyes that matched his own, a female mirror of himself. “Mother.”

Barbaraca frown at her son. “I leave you alone for a few days and next thing I hear is that you’ve not only found a woman you wish to marry but you are making a whole commotion over someone who clearly has no interest in you.” She pointed behind him where Rena sat with Mozenrath’s head on her scaly knees, pressing her hands over his bleeding wound and crying, ignoring everything else. “It’s clear to me she has no love for you, my son, so I suggest we end this.”

The queen raised a scepter in her right hand and spoke loudly. “I call this fight finished. Starus has lost the right to this woman by her own choice. Now everyone, go home.”

Starus said nothing but simply bowed to his mother as she moved past and lowered herself to the pleading woman in the sand. It was clear now that he’d been played for a fool and swam off to tend his wound, refusing to look back.

“Please,” Rena begged, holding Mozenrath’s unconscious body against hers both in protection and fear. “Save him, please!”

The queen shushed her motheringly, taking hold of Rena’s once wounded hand, stained once again with blood. “Hush now, it will be alright. From the look of the wound no vital organs were hit. He’s just out from the pain. It’s over now.” She looked at the blood on Rena’s hands and smiled. “You care very much for this young man don’t you?”

Rena nodded, sniffling. “All we wanted was a moon’s tear. I never wanted any of this to happen, please. I just want to take him home.”

Barbaraca’s eyes twinkled with understanding as she smiled, raising back to her full height. “Very well. You may have the moon’s tear you so desperately desire however you must promise me that neither he nor you will ever to come to my territory again.” Rena nodded vigorously.

Soldiers took Mozenrath’s unconscious body away to be treated while Barbaraca held out her hand to Rena, lifting her off the ground and placing the bloody Moon’s tear in her palm. “Go to him, little one. And may your love for him bring him swift recovery.”

Rena didn’t say anything in return but did manage a light bow before swimming off to follow the soldiers, the queen’s words not really sinking in just yet.


	39. Returns and a Note

Dark eyes blurrily opened to Rena’s smiling face looking down at him; when he tried to sit a shot of pain erupted from his side that made him wince and suck in air through his teeth. She was instantly next to him, sitting on the edge of his bed trying to keep him from moving.

“That bastard stabbed me.” Mozenrath grumbled, gingerly touching the bandage around his middle. “How am I not dead?”

“The queen returned in time to stop the fight. She even let us leave with a moon’s tear if we promised never to return to her kingdom again.” Rena told him matter-of-factly, her usual soft smile gracing her face.

He looked around a second, still not quite all there. “Wait, how did we get back to the Citadel?”

“Barbaraca had her guards escort us through the ocean to the beach where we first set out. I used the transportation rune you keep with you to get us home from there.” She looked over at where Xerxes was asleep in his little bed on the far table. “Poor thing’s been worried about you since the mamluks carried you in.”

Mozenrath just grumbled, “Stupid eel.” And began to sit up.

Rena tried to push him back down. “You shouldn’t be moving around so soon…”

“It’s the third day. I need to get the moon’s tear to my lab and finish my spell before I lose my window of opportunity.” He pushed Rena away and swung his feet over the side of the bed, attempting to stand but quickly fell. She caught the majority of his weight and hoisted his arm over her shoulder. “You’re an idiot to be out of bed but…I know I can’t stop you. Come on then, let’s get you to your lab.”

He gave her a look as they limped out of the room and down the hall. “You gave in surprisingly quickly.”

“Ugh.” She grunted. “The sooner you get this over with the sooner you go back to bed. I don’t need you dying in the lab where I can’t get to your body, it’ll just start to stink up the place.”

His pale face gave her a small smirk at the stick to him. “You’re always SO practical.”

After a few minutes they reached the door to the lab which he opened. By now the noise they’d made meandering down the hall had woken Xerxes and he had joined them under specific instructions to let Rena know the instant they were done so she could get Mozenrath back to bed, much to the displeasure of Mozenrath.

“I told you, I’m fine.” He insisted, leaning against his lab stool, each staring the other one down as Xerxes gathered the required ingredients.

She looked with a matching expression from the hallway side of the doorway, arms crossed and irritated. “No you’re not so stop acting like it. I’ll be checking on you every hour on the hour.”

“I don’t need you babysitting me.” He snapped. “I’m not a child.”

She pointed to his wound. “You may not be a child but you barely have the strength of one right now. I’ll be back in an hour and you’d better respond when I knock or I’ll have the mamluks break down the door!”

He opened his mouth to retort but a snippy comeback eluded him, his brain just as exhausted as his body. Begrudgingly he waved his hand, the door slamming in her face and turning to get to work, yelling at Xerxes that he wasn’t fast enough.

Rena headed out the corridor and down the stairs to the kitchen to start on dinner. She’d eaten nothing but kelp and other sea dishes for the past two days and she was craving something that didn’t come from the ocean. As she passed by her storage room something caught her eye.

Sitting on her pile of rugs and blankets was a small brown package with her name written on it. Tentatively she opened it only to have a small red stone fall out and roll on the floor which she hastily picked up and stuffed in her pocket while she looked over the note.

_Rena,_

_Salazar asked me to give this to you so that you can keep in touch. To talk to Salazar simply turn the stone three times to the right and once upside down and he should appear in any reflective surface nearby. He’s expecting to hear from you soon._

_Love and affection,_

_Cassim_

Rena looked down at the stone and did as requested, turning the stone three times right and once down. Nothing seemed to happen. “Salazar?”

“Rena!” Salazar’s voice rang out to her left, making her jump, his image appearing in a nearby pot. “I was wondering what was keeping you from contacting me. Is Mozenrath giving you a hard time?”

Rena shook her head, taking a shaky breath to calm her surprised heart. “No, he and I have been out of reach since we left the Bronze City.”

Salazar stroked his chin smugly. “Needed to get away, eh? That sly dog, keeping you all to himself!”

She just blushed slightly and waved him off. “Not like that. We went to get a moon’s tear.”

“Hmm…” The old man thought. “Awfully rare, those. Did you manage to get one?”

Rena nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “We did, but it’s a long story. I need to get dinner started before I go check on Mozenrath.”

Salazar just nodded. “Well alright then but I wanted to let you know Mozenrath doesn’t need to know about us communicating like this. I sent you the stone so you might have someone to talk to when you need it and ask questions should need be.”

Rena gave a confused look. “Questions?”

“About Mozenrath. I’m sure you have some rattling around in your head so should you ever like to talk to me about them, just let me know and I’ll do my best to answer.”

The young woman thought about it a moment and bit her lip. “Right now I’m good but give me a few days and I’ll get back to you about it, alright?”

Salazar just smiled broadly, putting his hands on either side of his waist. “Fair enough! Another time then!” And his image faded away as quickly as it appeared.

Her hands kept her busy as she moved around the kitchen with practiced ease, keeping an eye on an hourglass she had in the corner to let her know when an hour had passed. She whipped up a simple curry dish and brought it with her as she climbed the stairs to the lab, knocking on the door.

“Still alive, now go away!” He yelled through the door.

“Open up, I brought dinner.” She yelled back.

“Leave it on the floor. I’m busy.”

She rolled her eyes but did it anyway, smiling slightly to herself. Despite the injury he sounded like his old self, rumbling around in his lab and back to his old routine. She’d check on him in another hour but for right now she’d enjoy a nice quiet dinner and think up questions for Salazar.


	40. A Mirrors Challenge

KSSSSSSSSSSS!  BANG! The explosion knocked him off his stool. Mozenrath let out a string of swears, yanked off his goggles and threw them across the room. Why wasn’t this stupid spell working?!

He slammed his fist into the work table as Xerxes whimpered in the corner. “Shut up Xerxes!”

Wait, Xerxes was here, that meant he was back from his mission. “Xerxes! When did you get back?”

“Just now, just now Master. Xerxes find, Xerxes bring!” The eel crooned.

“Finally, some good news.” Mozenrath chuckled, yanking off his apron and tossing on a nearby table as he bolted from the workroom. His mind was a mile a minute as he took the stair two at a time down the side tower and through the labyrinth that was the citadel. Up in a secondary tower, which was rarely used he watched as the mamluks brought a large mirror into the room and hung it on a chain against the wall. “It’s perfect! Now that that old witch with the beauty complex is dead this was an easy conquest!”

He dismissed the mamluks with a wave of his hand and told Xerxes to go find Rena so he’d get out of his hair for a bit. The flying eel took haste and vanished, always hungry for his next meal while the sorcerer ran his fingers over the golden trim, the magic in the gauntlet and the magic in the mirror almost singing to each other in a low hum that rang deep in his ears.

Taking a step back he watched himself in the mirror and said the words in rhyme, “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, what must I do to rule them all?”

His reflection faded and instead appeared a face, a mask clouded in smoke that stared back at him,

_“A book is needed from Khartoom, but to use it will be your doom. It will bring you closest to your affinity, but to rule the land be not your destiny.”_

Mozenrath frowned at the mirror, growing angry. “Why wouldn’t it be? It’s what I want most!” The mirror remained silent and unresponsive. With an irritated eye roll he glared at the face in front of him. “Then tell me, you smoky ghost, just what is it that I want most?!”

The mirror did not answer but simply faded into black. For a moment there was silence before an image appeared, a woman bent over on the floor, scrubbing the tile, her dark hair pulled back in a braid, gently falling over her shoulder. While no sound came from the mirror you could tell something had caught her attention as caramel eyes looked up from her scrubbing and over her shoulder, a bright smile crossing her face as Xerxes came into view, nuzzling against Rena’s dirt stained face and flying about in excitement.

Mozenrath was struck in surprise and horror. “That’s not what I want…that’s not what I WANT!” He moved forward and banged his fists into the mirror, making the image vanish. “You lie you stupid thing, I don’t want her. Why would you show me her?”

Apparently the mirror took that as a question and answered:

_“What your heart wants most was long ago decided; by cruel fate it was abided. Before your birth your fate was set, to bring forth love when first eyes met. While different paths your lives did take, this kind of tie you cannot break…”_

Mozenrath looked up at the smoky face as it was speaking, his eyes furious and saddened at the same time.

_“Push her away, you will surely try, but stray from fate’s path and you both will die. Your love is a path of take and give. Accept your destiny and you will live.”_

As he stepped back a few paces the mirror kept talking, its expression almost daring. “Falling in love is a servant girl is NOT my destiny!”

_“You don’t believe, then test with this. Go to her and steal a kiss. If nothing is felt, then wrong am I, you’ll ever know until you try.”_

“Ha! Boy do you have some balls you overgrown piece of glass. How DARE you challenge me like that! I’ll make sure you never answer another question again!” Furious he left the room, the mirror’s smug expression still haunting his vision. He stormed downstairs to where sounds were coming from the kitchen of Xerxes gobbling down his meal while Rena prattled on about what’s been going on since he’d been gone. He threw the door open into the kitchen, knocking it loose of one of its hinges. He didn’t notice how she jumped as his sudden intrusion, only backed away at his enraged expression and asked what was wrong.

He still remained silent while he took the few steps needed to cross the space of the kitchen to stand in front of her, grabbing her by the arms and bringing her to stand in front of him. Rena’s expression was frantic, worry filling her eyes. “What’s wrong?!”

“You’re what’s wrong!” He snapped his grip tightened on her arms enough to make her hiss in pain. “Why is it every time I make progress with something you throw me back to the starting line? It’s YOUR fault!”

Rena gave him a confused look. “Mozenrath, what are you talking about? I’m just cooking dinner like I always do. I’m not doing anything to you.”

“Shut up.” He grumbled under his breath, the blood pounding in his ears as his heart thundered in his chest. He was so mad, that smug look on the mirror’s face haunting him. The face suddenly changed to Salazar’s which made him even angrier.

“I’ve even been staying out of your way when you’re home. Seriously, what the hell are you talking about…” She kept on persisting.

The face changed again, this time to Desdane’s face, his victorious laughter echoing in his ears. It persisted long after a new image floated into view, of Rena pressed against him, both in the bath and in Zealaguna, a half-lidded gaze as she pressed her mouth to his. Still the laughter refused to cease.

“I SAID SHUT UP!” He screamed, which stopped her voice dead, along with the murderous look he gave her, the same mad look he’d given once before that had nearly taken her life. “You’re NOT what I want…and I’ll prove it!”

He wrenched her forward, slamming his lips against hers with a force that could damn near knock loose teeth. A shot of electricity shot down his spine, then back up to the point his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. Time seemed to stop for a brief moment, the world going silent and empty of everything except the woman in his arms.

A clap of thunder boomed above them so loud it shook the citadel; bringing him back to the earth. Mozenrath shoved her back like she burned him, heart pounding in his throat. From the look on her face she apparently had had the same experience.

She looked at him, her face white and a cold sweat trickling from her forehead. They stood there for a second of two and more thunder clapped overhead before she said what was on her mind. “Why the fuck did you do that?!”

“To prove a talking mirror wrong.” He said irritably, letting his hands fists at his sides. His fingers itched to touch her again and it was making his head hurt. Why? Why did she have this kind of effect on him? It couldn’t be love. Fuck love. It was a weakness, Desdane had always said so and it was one of the few things he and Mozenrath had ever agreed on. Perhaps lust? He could work with lust. But lust made it into something physical, like he wanted her for just the body, which also didn’t seem to fit this predicament either.

He took a moment to look her up and down. There really wasn’t anything special about her. She looked nearly the same as the day she’d shown up on his doorstep. Same wavy copper colored hair, same honey-caramel brown eyes, same irritating attitude. He’d seen her naked a few times, and while the thought had crossed his path then as a fleeting thought he seemed fixated on it now. Like a snowball on a hill the dirty thoughts poured into his head and stirred him like a already overflowing pot, some so heated they made his mouth go dry.

“What did you need to prove the mirror wrong about?” She asked, bringing him out of the gutter and back to the now.

“That I’m not in love with you. That you’re not what I want most.” He watched a look pass over her face, almost like his words had hurt but she seemed to shake them off, narrowing her eyes at him and putting her hands on her hips.

“Well I don’t exactly love you either. You could have simply asked.” Rena grumped.

“Then what is this?” The young man asked. He wasn’t actually expecting an answer from her, running his gloved hand through his hair as another boom of lightning and thunder passed over them.

Rena took the step between them and grabbed the sides of his face, pulling him to her to kiss him again. She held him there, like that, until the fight seemed to leave him just a bit and she pulled back, looking up into his eyes. “I’ll admit I feel it too, but I don’t know it either. So why don’t we just try our hand at it anyway?”

“I will never love you, you know. Whether I wanted to or not.” He told her, the gaze cold and dead as his words were hollow. She nodded understanding as he pulled her into him again, this time with just a tad more passion then he had originally planned. Lightning struck outside, setting a potted plant on fire but neither one noticed as hands snaked around bodies and the world seemed to fade away.

Xerxes came flying into the kitchen wailing about the fire in the courtyard to which Mozenrath simply reached his hand out and twisted, Xerxes’s mouth zipping shut with an invisible zipper before the couple vanished in a puff of smoke as rain poured down over the land of the black sands.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~

Back upstairs the smoky face in the magic mirror looked up about him as if he could see the rain that poured down onto the citadel and smiled lightly. “Whether it is through love or hate, no one can resist the red string of fate.”

 

TTTTTTTTTTTTT

Author’s Note: Whelp, it finally happened. I’d put in more detail but I figured your minds are probably just as good at that if not better. I might write a smut chapter about what EXACTLY happened but right now I don’t really have the time.

Don’t freak out, there’s still more to come but for now, may you finally enjoy that small moment of satisfaction. Peace ya’ll!


	41. Sex Through the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SEX CHAPTER!!!!! Skip if you want, it's your choice, but I promise it's very steamy. ^_^

Mozenrath made them reappear in his bedchambers, the room dark save for a small candle on a side table and the occasional flash of lightning that peaked through the drawn black curtains. Rain had begun to fall, it’s overcast sky cooling the desert sands below, blocking the sun almost enough to make it appear night. The dark curtains at the windows ruffled against the moist wind but he just held up a hand to put up a barrier against the incoming angled raindrops. He had done all this without breaking the kiss but now pulled away just enough to look at her.

The statement still stood, there was nothing special about her. Same hair, which he loosed from the tie that held it bound, his gaze moved lower, avoiding looking at her face or breasts to stop at her middle. Reaching around he pulled loose the knot in her apron, the worn fabric falling from its place around her hips. Her hand closed over his while she stepped into him, closing the gap to return the heated exchange between their lips. Every time he kissed her, that statement muddled through his mind. She’s nothing special. Same tan skin, a shade darker or two in places like around her neck or on her legs while he ran a hand up the back of her thigh. Same voice calling his name when he pulled away to undo the lacings of his tunic and pull it over his head as she disrobed herself in kind.

Absolutely nothing special.

But there he was, letting her take his bandaged arm, unafraid of his marred and disfigured body as she pulled him to the bed, pulling him down on top of her as she kissed him again, this time with a deeper sense of urgency. He kicked off his boots as his tongue dance with hers, panting against her smooth skin while he tasted various spots on her person. He couldn’t help the small smile that graced his lips when he found a particular spot just below her collar bone that seemed to elate her to a loan groan. Those honey eyes looked at him then, holding him enthralled for brief moment, long enough to give her the upper hand and roll them over. He sat and watched as she tugged free the string of his pants, pulling them free from his person until he was just as naked as she. Even in the low light he knew what she was looking at, a hint of triumph bloomed in his chest as he watched her eyes dilated even more in the darkness.

She seemed enthralled by him, making his mind beg the question of how she seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Had she done this before? With another man? The sheer idea angered him, enough to make him reach for her, gripping by the upper arm and hauling them back around so her back lay against the silky inkiness of his bedding. His bone fingers gripped at her jaw, turning it to give him better view of her neck, leaning down to suckle a spot on her pulse until she cried out for him. She didn’t stop him though, never fought him.

With his other hand he reached lower, touching that honeyed spot between her legs. They parted for him as easily as the sea in that Christian folk tale he’d heard years back. He had to chuckle to himself that in that story it was the _Red_ sea that had parted. Pulling his head away he watched her while he moved his fingers about below, one slipping in with surprising ease to find that thin barrier of flesh that separated a virgin from womanhood. Those eyes of hers held his own dark orbs, giving him a silent nod while that finger dipped even deeper, enough to make her arch from bed.

_Mine._

His mind chanted in time with his fingers movements. Her voice was an epitome of pleasure while she rocked her hips to meet his fingers, her own gripping at his shoulders, calling out his name. It was such a curious thing, how he seemed to know just exactly what to do to make her buck, squirm, and mewl for him. Letting his teeth nip at her collar bone, marking his trail over her darker skin seemed just as much fun as hearing her call his name over and over again, chanting it like a mantra. Looking downward the dark youth moved to capture a dark little bud of a nipple, having it nearly torn from his mouth from her sudden arch of her back. If she squirmed this much just from him teasing her breasts, once could only wonder what she’d do if he added another finger below or his mouth.

The urge to taste more was suddenly unbearable and he pulled away, moving lower to grip her inner thighs and spread them, pausing only at her look of surprised confusion and call of his name to question before diving in without a word.

He took what he wanted of her. As was his right. After all she was nothing special. To her credit she tasted divine, a sweet mix like salt teased into honey that made him want to devour all the more. Her fingers found his hair, weaving and tangling in his dark locks just urging him forward in his claim, her calls for him turning to whispered pleads while he swirled his tongue over every inch of her delicious lower mouth. Looking up her body he spotted her eyes closed, squeezed shut while her toes curled into the silk beneath. He had her begging for him, pleading for him until her thighs clamped around his head and she bore down with a scream. Mozenrath only smiled, lapping away what came out, while his servant girl shivered and twitched in response.

_Mine._

Those honeyed eyes were glazed over, mildly unseeing when he crawled back over Rena’s jellied form, her arms slowly reaching for him. Her palms were steady on his chest, her right pressing over his heart just a breath more than her left. She let him shift her legs apart, wrapping one limb around his waist while he aligned himself, the head rubbing and prodding her entrance. For the briefest moment he hesitated, considering an offer of warning that is might hurt. “Rena…”

“It’s alright,” She pleaded, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling herself up to breathe against his ear. “I know.”

The slightest of nods was her only answer before he began to ease himself deeper. He could fell her pulse against his skin, her breath hitching and a whimper escape her throat before he came to a hilt. Her smaller frame went stiff, biting her lower lip to keep from crying at the sprig of pain. To his credit, he didn’t move right away, waiting until she started to adjust her legs more comfortably so they could glide together with ease.

It wasn’t long before they were moving as one, tangled together and covered with a sheen of sweat. Her left heel dug into his lower back, egging him on while her heated breath panted against his neck. There were no more words, just movement. Pure instinct repeated since the beginning of mankind. Nails dragged down the his back while his own fisted in her long hair, pulling her lips to his own. Sounds of sex echoed in the empty room save for the occasional clap of thunder from outside.

That feeling, the string wrapping itself around his heart was growing tighter, wrapping again and again with each buck of his hips. It was like he could actually see it in his mind while he moved. It hurt, the binding tight enough to knock the breath from his lungs but he couldn’t stop, neither of them could stop until finally, the thread snapped.

Rena cried out first, he swallowed her cry with his lips before adding his own, hilting deep inside without much second thought to the notion. When the euphoria finally subsided he collapsed on top of her, brow dripping with sweat while his heart kept a thundering pace to keep him from passing out.

When his weight became too much she pushed him off to the side, making a light noise in the back of her throat as he pulled out and away from her body. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, he doing the same while they fought to catch their breath.

“How did you know how to do that?” The question blurted out of her lips before her brain could catch them.

He looked at her, confused. “Do what?”

“The thing…with your mouth…” She mumbled, a blush creeping up her face and even tingeing her ears as she spoke. “It…it hit me so hard I saw stars.”

With a growing grin the dark man chuckled. “Simple, I read.”

“You read about sex?” This was indeed a surprise. From what he’d told about his previous history on the subject she’d thought he’d just stay away from the whole idea.

“I have a whole book on it in the library. Several in fact, should you care to read them later.” He said calmly, looking over his boney fingers. “In fact I may require you to, should this become a regular thing.”

The idea just made her squirm. The dampness between her legs made her feel awkward and mildly embarrassed, growing aware of the nude situation. She rolled to pull his thin sheet over her skin when he reached for her, gripping her arm with his right hand. “What are you doing?”

She looked at him, brown eyes curious. “I’m covering up. Unless you want me to go start dinner.”

Lightening lit up the room, briefly illuminating his face brightly compared to the steady flicker of a single candle. He seemed, almost irritated at the idea of her covering herself. Pulling her down and back to him his arms wrapped around her smaller frame, his hips pressing a growing stiffness against her rear. With a hiss of playful chiding he licked the shell of her ear and whispered. “I’m not hungry for food right now.”

The candle blew out and Rena squealed, the whole circle beginning to spin again.


	42. Awakening

Mozenrath grumped as he rolled over in bed, licking his lips to wet them and groping at his pillow to shift it into a more comfortable shape. Sleep started to drift into his mind again until something warm snaked itself around his waist.

At first he thought it might be Xerxes but that didn’t fit. Xerxes was cold blooded and usually cool to the touch. Reaching down he touched the soft, squishy thing that hung over his middle. It had fingers. A sinking feeling began to spread to the pit in his stomach as he looked first under the covers to double check that yes, the thing laying on him was indeed an arm and secondly he looked over his shoulder to see Rena’s sleeping face not a foot from his own, naked as the day she came into this world minus half of his sheet covering her from the waist down.

He bolted from the bed so fast he fell onto the floor and crawled backwards till he bumped into the table on the far side of the room.

What had he done?

The memories of the night before started to come back to him. The mirror, her image, confronting her, the kiss, the feelings it brought back to him, and taking her back to his room to…to… He could feel himself getting hard again at just the memory of her under him. Enraged at his own body’s reactions he smacked his erection, which he immediately regretted as it sent him into a ball on the floor, but he bit back the groan and the pain allowed him to think more clearly.

It felt like he’d been under a damned spell. Or maybe a dream. It had to have been. How perfectly her body had become taken with his, how despite having little to no experience he’d damn near pulled an all nighter with her. It had to have been some sort of pent up thing. He just hadn’t had any in a while and needed to get it out of his system. That made sense, right?

How could he have done that with her? Salazar had warned him about it, his inner thoughts had warned him about it, hell even Desdane had beaten in the command that thoughts of the flesh distracted from the teachings of magic and here he’d gone and fucked his servant girl! How was he going to deal with her now? Why couldn’t he just keep it in his pants? This could screw up everything! All of this to prove a mirror wrong? He’d smash that damn thing to pieces if it weren’t for the rather irritating repercussions that came from breaking magic mirrors. She could have some foreign disease or what if she got pregnant? That thought killed his lower body’s desire real quick.

“No, no, this had to be a onetime thing.” He told himself softly as not to wake her. “No more distractions.”

The figure on the bed sighed lightly in her sleep, shifting to her belly as she snuggled a pillow. It gave him a quick flash of her breasts before squishing into the black silk underneath her.

His mouth was suddenly dry again. Or course it didn’t help that it was hanging open at the moment either.

‘On the other hand,’ that inner voice came chining in. ‘Maybe this could work out.’

Mozenrath moved off the floor and into the tables affiliated chair, sitting (albeit naked) and watching her sleep, deep in thought. He thought back to his first time. It was only a few months after he’d hit puberty when Desdane had caught him eyeing a belly dancer while out running errands that the evil bastard had told him he’d arranged for Mozenrath to spend the night with that beautiful woman. He knew better than to trust him but he could recall with disdain just how much in lust he’d been.

Of course it ended up being a cruel trick when he showed up at her doorstep only to find the woman he gave himself to that night was in fact a dusty old witch who got her jollies by finding young men in love, killing the woman they desired and drinking their essence to take their shape for a night of physical bliss. She told him later that her favorite part was the look of horror on the man’s face when they woke up in the morning and realized what had happened…right before she devoured their souls for her breakfast.

Desdane had roared with laughter at Mozenrath’s humiliating situation before threatening him that if he ever caught that look in his eyes again he’d cut the young man’s balls off and feed them to him. Since then the feeling for physical contact had all but vanished…until Rena.

He knew he couldn’t love her, he’d said that much to her face just a few hours earlier. It wasn’t just because of a bad previous experience but there was the fact that he physically couldn’t do it. Desdane had eliminated the physical desire, the gauntlet had done the rest. All magic comes with a price after all. Something about her, it made him infuriated and horny all at once. So if it wasn’t love then lust must have set in and would become problematic if not rectified, much like how it had all exploded in his face last night all because of a damn mirror’s rhythmic challenge. But lust he could work with. Perhaps it would be better to simply accept and act upon the physical than to withdraw from it. The perks were definitely appealing. He felt very relaxed, his arm didn’t hurt, his mind was clear, and he hadn’t slept that deeply since the night he finally defeat Desdane and took over the citadel. He could get used to it. After all she WAS his property. He could do anything he wanted with her.

She moved again on the bed, pulling his pillow into her arms and snuggling it a breath closer, mumbling something none descriptive in her sleep.

A wicked smile cocked itself sideways at the edge of his lips, thinking back to how she’d looked at him, copper colored hair spread over his sheets as she clung to him, her voice echoing in his ear throughout the room. She’d called his name softly and it still sent energy racing down his spine bringing goosebumps to his skin.

Yes…he could get VERY used to this…

He’d have to make a few changes though. Make sure pregnancy was not a factor, and get her out of that damn storage room would be the first steps. Maybe change her wardrobe to something more sexually appealing? The memory of her in that getup he had put her in to distract Salazar sent a shiver of pleasure down his spine and to his loins. “Maybe too much.” He mumbled, looking down at himself.

For now he’d play it cool, like this situation wasn’t as completely unexpected or awkward as it should be. Judging from the marks on her skin from their night together and her tousled appearance the first place she’d head would be the bath. He grabbed his clothes and headed there first, mentally prepping what he’d say as he closed the bedroom door with a soft click.


	43. Acceptance

Rena woke to a stream of moonlight staring her in the face. She rolled over, black silk bare against her skin keeping her cool and comfortable in the dark room. It took a second or two for it to register exactly where she was. Cracking an eye open she looked around.

Mozenrath’s bedroom. It looked kind of off seeing it from inside the bed rather than from her usual vantage point of beside of it.

Everything was in its usual place except the clothes on the floor. Her clothes only. He’d already left and probably gone back to his workshop. Rena let out a sigh of relief at that. It helped with the awkwardness of the situation.

Scooting to the edge of the bed she stood up her legs wobbly as a newborn foal, tingling and complaining at their abuse from the previous evening. Just the thought made her cheeks burn as she crawled after her clothes and forcing herself up to a standing position.

Gods, what had she done? What had THEY done? Remembering it just made her embarrassment even worse. How was this going to affect their working relationship? Was it a onetime thing or did he expect more? Did she want any more? What if he didn’t? What if he DID? Why had they done it in the first place?

All her inner questions were making her head spin. She grabbed the edge of a nearby chair and held it firm to ground her. Rena ran a hand through her copper colored hair and let out a sigh. For right now, she should probably just pretend nothing had happened. That’s it; just go back to the usual routine. Normality was the key.

Straightening herself to a full stand she limped to the door. She let out a hiss at where her body stung.

A bath would help her aches and pains.

Quickly dressing, she moved through the halls, looking around each corner in fear she might see him, until she reached the bath hall. Sighing for a moment’s peace Rena started to take off her tunic when a voice came from the dark water.

“Had the same idea I see.” His voice chimed from where he floated, a white face in a dark ocean. He couldn’t help the wicked smile that moved over his face when she yelped in surprise, holding her hand to her heart. He moved to the edge where he rose up slightly, crossing his arms on the pools lip and rested his head on top of them to watch her more comfortably.

She eyed him for a moment, taking a brief second to notice he’d removed his bandages to show off his bone arm and the warped, rotting flesh above it. “I can wait till you’re done.”

“Nonsense,” He cooed. “Come in, the water’s great.”

She crooked an eyebrow at him. What was he playing at? This was not the usual Mozenrath. “I don’t think so.”

The dark youth rolled his eyes. “Oh please. I’ve seen you naked and vice versa so why be shy about it?” When she didn’t move his usual glare returned. “Look, I’ll even turn around so I can’t see.” He turned around in the water, facing the back wall. “Better?”

Awkwardly she took a few steps closer and started to disrobe. “Close your eyes when I get in.”

He leaned his head back a bit looking up at the ceiling, then at her, her tunic pressed to her front to hide her nudity. “No.”

Rena’s mouth fell open a bit. “Why not?! You turned around!”

He just smiled a trickster smile. “I won’t close my eyes for the sake of your modesty. Besides, I could see you getting undressed in the mirror on the far wall so really it wasn’t like I couldn’t see the show.”

“Oh!” She growled, now officially pissed. Throwing down her tunic she stomped over to the water’s edge and splashed into the water, making sure he got a face full of fluid in the process. “Fine. I’m here. Happy now?”

He just shrugged, pretty much ignoring her. “I don’t care. Like I said, I’ve seen it all before. Especially after last night.”

Her face turned red as she busied herself, running her hair through her hands as she wetted it, wincing where it snagged on a tangle.

He gave her a quick look and let out an exasperated sound. “Don’t read so much into it woman. It was just sex. It’s not like it was your first time or anything.” When she didn’t answer he finally looked her in the eye, his smug smile fading. “Oh shit.”

She just gave him an astonished look, the hurt running deep at his thoughtless statement. “You greasy son of a b...”

Mozenrath held up a wet hand. “Stop.” It was all he said. But the look he gave…it was enough, the apology plain on his face.

The anger mildly subsided to simple glare. “I’m guessing it wasn’t your first time?”

“No, I lost mine years ago.”Mozenrath leaned his head back against the tiled edge. “Desdane thought it would be good for me to get those urges out of my system early so I could focus on being his whipping boy.”

“Was she at least pretty?” Rena asked grabbing for the oil bottles.

“She might have been at one time, but for a wrinkling, saggy, 200 year old woman she definitely wasn’t my preferred type.” The look of horror on Rena’s face made him chuckle wickedly. “Desdane sold me to this old witch for a night…she got what she wanted, Desdane got what he wanted when I slit her throat and killed her, and I swore to myself that if that was what sex was supposed to be like I’d never want to have it again.”

Rena shuddered as she rubbed herself down. “That’s a horrible story, Mozenrath. I don’t know how you can laugh about something like that.”

The dark sorcerer just examined his boney fingers. “It all worked out in the end. It was from her I received the gauntlet which allowed me to take down Desdane. So in the end…it was worth it.”

They sat in the blackened water for a few minutes of silence before she just couldn’t take it anymore. “Mozenrath…”

“Damn it!” The young man hissed as his dark curls snagged between the bones in his hand as he tried to wash his own hair. “How do you…ugh!”

Rena couldn’t help but chuckle that came bubbling from her lips. He was acting almost…childlike in his mannerisms that it lessened her growing tension. Grabbing for his boney arm she pulled herself toward him. “Let me do it. You never could get all the soaps out well enough.”

For a little while it felt almost back to normal as he assumed his usual position in front of her as she scrubbed his scalp. “So what happens now?”

He sat in front of her, silent for a moment as he stared off into the black water. “We could do it again.”

She paused in her washing, not quite sure she heard him right. “What?”

“I’ll move you out of the storage room, into the room next to mine. You’re still my servant, so you’ll still do the cooking and cleaning, everything just like normal but every so often…I mean, you do belong to me after all so if I get the urge again it’s only fitting.” Despite his normal tone it didn’t sound like he was really talking to her but at her instead.

She yanked his hair hard enough to make him turn and pay attention before she spoke. “I’m only going to say this once, _Master_ Mozenrath. I’m not your whore. A servant yes, but not some sex toy you can pull out whenever you’re in the mood and if I feel like you’re treating me like one I’ll cut that dick of yours off with one of my kitchen knives and you’ll never even see it coming.”

His eyes turned into their usual dark fury as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her to be in front of him, baring his menacing gaze into her own. “I will not be threatened by some cheap slut of a slave girl!”

“And I will not be some bitch you can bare back whenever you feel like a good rut!” She snapped back. Digging her own fingers into her palms clasping them into tight fists.

“Like you’re any good in bed anyway, I did all the work!” His anger was rising out of control, pulling her against him until they were nose to nose.

But she refused to lose, sniping back. “And you were pretty lousy at that!”

He paused for a breath or two before he kissed her deeply, forcefully, pushing his tongue into her mouth to keep her from speaking. The dark youth held her there until her nails loosed from where they dug into her palms. “Who’s lousy you said?” He smirked down at her as she floated in front of him, trying to catch her breath. He released her wrists but kept his hands above the water level, just in case he needed to grab them again.

Rena’s honey eyes held his before muttering, “You’re such an asshole.” And kissing him again, wrapping her arms around his neck and pushing him into the side of the pool as water splashed over the edge. She kissed him with as much anger and frustration as he had given her until a sharp twinge of pain shot through her head, making her pull back for a moment.

“What’s the matter now?” He chided, pulling her lower half to press against his own in just the right way.

Rena shook her head of the mild dizziness as the pain vanished as quickly as it came. “Nothing…it’s nothing.”

His wicked smile grew wider, lifting her slightly out of the water to get place her just where he wanted her. “Good, now back to business.”


End file.
